Ranma Metroid 'Chimaera'
by WFROSE
Summary: Sequal to 'Ill Gain'. Kasumi decides to pass the mantle of the Galaxy's greatest Space Hunter down to one of her students, just as the Space Pirates resurface with a couple of new threats.
1. Prologue

Ranma/Metroid  
Sequal to 'Ill Gain'  
___________________  
___________________  
  
It had been ten Earthen years since the defeat of Mother Brain on SS-42. The Galaxy had been at peace.  
  
It seemed as if a stronger blow than the Space Pirates were willing to admit was dealt to them, with the destruction of one of their larger teriminal transfer databases; Mother Brain, and the annialation of their project for cultivating the ultimate biological weapons.  
  
Space Hunter designate 'SA' was almost lost during the ordeal, but demonstrated uncanny abilities beyond our nominal understanding, to weild her own bio-energy without the use of enhancements, to contain a massive neutron core that had been purposely distabilized to eliminate any evidence of their work, along with their long time nemesis.  
  
Designate SA's terrain origins have been kept classified, as well as the project of repopulating the Terrain race of GV-4, but upon the once Space Pirate infested planet of SS-42.  
  
The project has proven so far successful.  
  
Dr. NtAl WurNg  
Supervisor Daily Report; Concluded  
________________________  
  
A lifetime ago...  
  
I don't feel the burning need to punish the universe for what happened billions of lifetimes ago; at least six billion, in fact.  
  
My home planet, the one I took for granted, thinking that I would never know another. The planet I was born on, and should have been buried on, was gone. Nothing I do now will bring it back, nothing I could have done then would have saved it.  
  
I've been shown that I couldn't let it end, that everything went further than my zealous need for vengence, than the overwhelming grief and agony I contained inside, unable to share it with anyone but my, at the time, emotionally dead sister, who was not capable of providing the comfort I needed at the time. Ironic, it is, when she ended up being the one that made me continue on. She was the one that gave me that spark of hope with the miracle of her concern, that I had much more to finish. That it was not about revenge; it was about vindication.  
  
About justice.  
  
Seventeen years. Seventeen Earth years since it all began. Even in peace, it must continue on. I, or any that come before me, will work our hardest, give our life, if necessary, to ensure that another senseless catastrophy befalls any other race as it did the Human Race, or the Chozo race prior that raised Samus-Sama. Just as the mantle was passed onto us, if even unwittingly, I so pass it on, too.  
  
"Akane, Ranma, you may begin when ready."  
________________________  
  
Our latest project... to say... was quite a surprise.  
  
That cursed Space Hunter hurt us a great deal, with its constant interferances. Using our own expiraments such as the Morph Ball against us, all but obliterating our network, and throwing our organization into upheaval.  
  
But we rebuild. It takes time, but we rebuild.  
  
It was an extreme gambit on our behalf, but it paid off, dearly. First plan was to eliminate our Space Hunter advisary by any means possible, while retaining our latest bio-weapon to use against the Galactic Federation. When that failed, it was to capture its corpse. If we couldn't settle for that, complete destruction.  
  
What a generous favor she... yes, we now are positive that the Space Hunter is a female, one native to the dead planet GV-4, granted us, by leaving her seemingly worthless and heavily damaged armor behind when it was shed.  
________________________  
  
The seven-foot humanoid crusteasion with dark green armor walked with a slow gait over to two tubes, and looked upon one of them. Inside, lay a human woman, with chestnut brown hair with blond highlights that naturally grew from her.  
  
"So generous, indeed," the latest commander of the Space Pirates hissed, in great satisfaction.  
__________________  
__________________  
'Chimeara'  
Prologue 


	2. Succession

Ranma/ Metroid  
'Chimeara'  
  
  
  
  
At the command, all that was left to visual sight were disturbances in the air where the pair had been standing, facing each other. Nabiki and Kasumi watched, as if seeing everything without any problem, and calmly awaited the final of the battle that had commenced.  
  
Ranma was in the air, darting down towards Akane, who had launched herself up at the redhead at an angle. Without seeming to touch, they passed one another, yet the first two blows had been struck. Ranma landed, and launched herself at the wall she was facing, and rebounded off of it before Akane could regain her own bearings.   
  
As she did so, the redhead rubbed her left forearm with her right hand; she needed to remember Akane had the overall advantage in strength. Kasumi had told Ranma once that Akane had an innate talent for being able to generate power without requiring much leverage. The raven-haired girl had been trained diligently in that ability, much to Ranma's chagrin. Fortunately, Ranma wasn't without her own talent.  
  
Akane grimaced, as she flipped herself upside down to brace her feet against the ceiling. Ranma had landed two solid blows to her gut; a straight right that collapsed into an elbow. The pigtailed fighter was always capable of being perfect in her technique, and easily capable of hiding her intended attacks before they landed. She couldn't understand how Kasumi could always see them coming, as if she were tiredly waiting for them to be committed; probably because she was the one that taught them all.  
  
Before her feet could even brace against the ceiling, she instinctually turned around to guard against Ranma's ax kick. Though she was successful at the defense, it knocked her into an akward angle. Instead of attempting to rebound off the ceiling, she twisted sideways, and initiated a kick that would land her heel against Ranma's jaw.  
  
The redhead caught the blow in her shoulder instead, but was forced to rotate in the air from the momentum. She turned her body horizontal, so it was also now facing the ceiling, and braced her hands and feet against it. Akane did the same, but while still facing away from Ranma. She used that to her advantege to thrust her heel back at Ranma, but she had pushed off before it could connect.  
  
With a growl of fustration, Akane did the same, falling back to earth in a graceful upside down swan dive. Ranma landed well before she did, and dropped to her left side with both her right and her left hands braced against the ground, while sweeping her left leg through where Akane own foot hit the ground.  
  
Akane flipped herself upright just before she landed, and channeled her strength into stomping into the metal ground. Her landing foot intended the floor, while her ankle held firm against Ranma's sweep. The redhead grimmaced from the sharp pain of the connection, but pushed through it. She initiated the second part of her attack by swinging her right leg towards Akane's head, while pushing herself up on her right hand.  
  
Akane used her forearm to guard against the blow, but wasn't braced against it. As her arm was knocked off-center, Ranma began the third part of her attack, launching herself up and back, catching Akane in the jaw with her left foot in a back-flip kick.  
  
Both Kasumi and Nabiki watched, as Akane went sailing back; a thin and sparse trail of blood in her wake. Neither of them flinched, though internally, the recoiled at the violent strike. As their instructors, they knew it was necessary. But, as the two that had raised them, along with all the other children, they couldn't help but take dread in the battle that would leave more than a few bruises between the two.  
  
It was a vital fight, a battle consisting between the two most prominant female fighters of the children they had raised. Nabiki had to wonder, though, if Kasumi possibly favored these two because of their ties to the originals. Shampoo had speed that rivaled Ranma's, but didn't quite match the brute strength Akane weilded, added to the fact that she had a tendicy to fold after one hit. Ukyo held a strong will of determination that would only give when the two were thoroughly knocked out, which allowed her, unfortunately, to easily be goaded into making mistakes. Nabiki's own counterpart was clever and well more tactical than even Ranma was, but unfortunately, was well to evasive in physical confrontation; bringing her the problem of wearing out well before her opponent did. Cologne was possibly the most conservative fighter of them all, which proved to be a doubled edged sword, since she would never take unnecessary risks. Without the gambit, the prize is small. Finally, Herb, who could generate unparalleled bio-energy, had the problem with having to deal with a constant bio-aura that hindered simulated sync ups with virtual Chozo-armor. Even attempting to put her in the real thing was not an option; it wasn't like they could make more all that easily.  
  
The two fighters solidified for a brief instant, trading blows at speeds only electrical currents could match, before seeming to vanish in a wisp of disscorperated reality. Akane didn't have the speed Ranma was capable in her female form, but it wasn't something to be sneezed at. It was truly amazing, Kasumi and Nabiki had noted time and time again, how far they could be pushed in the art with the facilities they had at their disposal. They both would even go as far as to say that the Chozo armor they were currently fighting for the right to don wouldn't even be necessary for them.  
  
The Chozo Armor; the augmenting suit that had been designed by the galaxie's most scientifically advanced race, and originally donned by their own chosen savior and protector; Samus Aran. Kasumi and Nabiki had realized something about the armor when they first attempted to wear it... it wouldn't work for them. After further study of Samus's records, they had discovered that it was designed to work only for their predecessor.   
  
Fortunately, Samus and the Chozo had detailed schematics on how it was made, and Samus even detailed information on how to alter it for whomever from her own planet would so deem find it necessary to wear it. Originally, she had made the notes for changes when she had been fused with Metroid DNA to combat the X virus; fearing her altercation would make her incompatable with the suit.  
  
Still, there was one problem; the wearer of the suit would have to be female. That eleminated several candidates; Ryoga, who had been the only one stronger than Akane physically, Happosai, who seemed to be able to alter techniques to suit him and whatever situation with but a thought, Mousse, who was an exellent marksman that was well above the rest of them, including Kasumi, Genma, the master of stealth, and Soun, the only one who had proven to be able to out-grapple Kasumi, though Nabiki had an idea that it was due more to some emotional hinderances on her part.  
  
Akane back-fisted Ranma's guard, causing the redhead to be launched backwards and away. Akane launched herself in pursuit, but then noticed Ranma-chan grinning. The short-haired girl knew she had been baited into a trap, and suddenly launched herself by pure strength in a ninety degree direction change. The redhead's smirk fell, as she had forgotten what Akane was capable of. She was still off balance, though, and Ranma could still put that to her advantage.  
  
Ranma bent her left leg even moreso, to angle towards Akane, and launched off with more power in her right leg. Ranma didn't have much bearing, and also wouldn't be able to generate the same strength and speed as she intended to originally, but Akane may yet be caught blindsided. The raven-haired girl found Ranma heading towards her, and almost blindly lashed out with a kick in panic. Ranma effortlessly twisted around it, and drove both her fists into Akane's gut while she was completely off-balance... several hundred times.  
  
Ranma flipped over Akane, and landed in a kneel, while Akane also kneeled with her back turned to Ranma. Akane stood up in a herculean effort to ignore the pain, and turned to face Ranma. The pigtailed girl stood up, and stared incredulously at her opponent.  
  
"This isn't over yet, Ranma," Akane growled, going back into stance. Ranma-chan shook her head.  
  
"It isn't going to take much more, Akane." Ranma had to admit, using the chestnut fist at that velocity drained her quite a bit, too, particularly since any blows she had been forced to block from Akane had been mostly taken in the arms. But, overall, she was in better shape than Akane was.  
  
"Come on, Kasumi, this doesn't need to go any further," Nabiki pleaded, finally cracking from her emotionless facade.  
  
Kasumi sincerely wanted to agree with her sister, "As long as both of them have the will to continue, it does. I'm sorry, but it's how it should be... please have Tofu-chan and Rouge-chan prepare the medical unit for them both." Nabiki glared harshly at her sister, but nodded.  
  
Akane pulled her right fist to her chest, while turning her right side towards Ranma. The pigtailed girl knew what was coming next. "So, you're going to use a ki attack?" Ranma's own tone turned haughty, as she began to power up her own battle-aura.  
  
Ranma's tone served to bring her more confidence for her attack, while also fueling Akane's determined anger. It didn't take long for both of their auras to fill the room, and beyond. The palpable auras battled against each other for dominance, before shrinking back into their respective weilders.  
  
"SCARLET SLASH!" Akane swiped her fist at a horizontal arc, sending a scarlet wave to expand throughout the room.  
  
"ANGRY TIGER SHOT!" Ranma thrust forth her own attack, causing it to collide with the apex of Akane's ki attack. There was one fatal flaw about Akane's attack. It was exellent for dealing with a wide range of several enemies and obstacles, it spread the power throughout it. Ranma's attack had no such hinderance, as it caused Akane's to bow, invert, and then disappate, as it pushed through.  
  
Kasumi sighed; it was probably best that Ranma won. Akane's flaw was that she tended to use desperation strikes when she should be conserving and stratagising. She quickly commanded the transparent blast field to dissappate after the white flash subsided from the room, raced through, and gathered both an unconcious Akane, and Ranma into her arms, before bounding out towards the medical facility. 


	3. Chosen

Ranma  
Metroid  
  
Chimeara  
  
  
  
Ranma sat on the gourney, flexing her wrist, as she looked over at the unconcious Akane. "I'm it," she said in a quiet voice. She finally looked away from her closest rival and final opponent in taking up the battlesuit, and down to her knees that dangled over the edge of her temporary bed. Since any of them could remember, Kasumi and Nabiki had been training them, for what, they had never been too sure. The only answers they were ever given was that it was for something that hopefully would never happen.  
  
The redhead drew her legs up to her chest, as she began thinking about it all. To all of them, it was probably nothing more than a competition, a contest with a prize at the end to which they didn't understand the signifigance of. Sure, Kasumi-sensei and Nabiki-sensei had told them of the history of the battlesuit, from what they knew of Kasumi-sensei's predecessor, to Kasumi and Nabiki's final battle that apparently obliterated the Space Pirate's network, the Motherbrain.  
  
After almost a decade and a half, the Space Pirates hadn't resurfaced in the galaxy, proving that their boast about the Mother Brain network being invincible was fallacy. Everything since then had been at peace.  
  
"What's so important about that suit?"  
  
"What it represents."  
  
Ranma looked up, to find Kasumi-sensei standing at the door to the infimery, gazing down at who was currently her number one student. "I guess I'm your successor, huh?" the redhead replied with a tone of relief and smugness.  
  
Kasumi nodded, "It was a good fight, so you earned it." Kasumi's expression firmed, "It's only going to get harder for you, now, Ranma."  
  
The redhead gave her trademark smirk, "Hey, I'll take any challenge you throw at me, Kasumi. I've proven I am the best, after all!"  
  
Before Ranma could blink, Kasumi was standing over her. With a quick twitch of her wrist, Kasumi smacked Ranma on the top of her head with the staff she carried with her. "Impudent child," the woman replied, "Your arrogance doesn't have a place in this." Truthfully, Kasumi wanted an opportunity to do that, but hid her satisfied grin.  
  
"Ow! I'm going to figure out how you do that, one day!" Ranma-chan retorted, while rubbing her head. Seriousness returned to the younger girl, as she looked back to her rival, "She's gonna be okay, right? I didn't go too hard on her, did I?"  
  
Kasumi's face twitched, glad that Ranma was showing compassion to her opponent, "She'll be alright, though I think she may be a bit irritated by her defeat."  
  
"Ah..." Ranma started, "Maybe I should get going, then. Let everyone know how it went, and all."  
  
"Mmmm," Kasumi replied, still looking at the clone of her sister who had perished so long ago, "I would like you to keep the details of the battle quiet, Ranma. You may let them know the victor, but that's it." Ranma nodded, knowing Kasumi-sensei couldn't see her, and left.  
  
Kasumi never turned around, but once she was sure that Ranma was gone, she dropped her authoratative composure, and replaced it with her motherly concerned one. She approached the sleeping girl, and ran her hand through her short hair.  
  
"Akane, you always did let your pride get the best of you."  
  
The unconcious girl, unfortunately, could not take her advising critisism.  
_____________________________  
  
Ranma dried his hair, as he left the bathroom. On his way out, Tarou grabbed his shoulder. "So, how messy did it get? You beat Akane, right?"  
  
"yeah," Ranma replied in a slightly subdued tone, "I won."  
  
"Well?" Ranma's best friend enquired, "What happened?"  
  
"Kasumi-sensei told me not to talk about it."  
  
"Hmph, you sure you *did* win? You don't sound like someone victorious," Tarou enquired in an arched tone.  
  
"Wha? Of course I did!" Ranma retorted hotly, as if questioning his victory was sacrelege.  
  
"Then what's with the long face?"  
  
Ranma's frown deepened, "I don't know. I mean, I won, I'm 'it', but all that says is that I'm the best. That's cool, and all, but I guess I just don't see the point in it."  
  
Tarou shrugged, as they both continued to walk down the hall, "I never saw the reason why you guys insisted on trying to beat each other up over that outfit, anyways. Thought you would have an idea why you did it."  
  
"That the reason you chose to study more under Nabiki?" Ranma asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Heh, better the planner, than the grunt on the field, as she says."  
  
"I'll be-" Ranma started, as he obliviously walked out the door to the outside.  
  
The redhead stared at herself, before wiping the fiery bangs from her face, "Why didn't you tell me it was raining?"  
  
Tarou crossed his eyes and smirked, still standing dry in the entry way, "Slipped my mind."  
  
Ranma gave Tarou a disgusted glare, before turning away, and heading to her own home apartment facility, "Jerk, don't think I don't notice the way you keep staring at me like that."  
  
Tarou uncrossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow, "What you mean?"  
  
"I mean looking at my girl form the same way you look at Shampoo or little Nabiki, or-"  
  
"Or how you look at Samus... or Kasumi-sensei?"  
_____________________________  
  
Kasumi and Nabiki sat at a table apart from the others, as they usually did. Nabiki quietly chewed her mouthful, before looking up at her sister, "So, sis..."  
  
Kasumi looked up, still thinking about how the battle between Akane and Ranma went, "Hmm?"  
  
"Did you ever manage to break Ranma out of that crush he has on you?" Nabiki asked casually, before returning to her meal. She didn't even need to see it, but she savored the narrow-eyed glare Kasumi was giving her.  
_____________________________  
  
Tarou smirked again, as he saw the back of Ranma-chan's neck began to turn red from blushing.  
  
"That's none of your business!" she retorted, crossing her arms under her chest, "Anyways, I want to get back to my room, so I can change back to a guy, and relax. I'll catch you later."  
  
"Alright, and congrates. You sure you don't want to get something to eat, first? Kasumi-chan's in the kitchen with Ukyo."  
  
"That's okay, I'm not all that hungry right now." Ranma continued on her way, loosing herself in contemplation. Truthfully, she was more concerned about Akane being there. They weren't exactly enemies, but their association was at a level of aquaintance, at best. The redhead wondered why Kasumi was so insistant on her getting to know the raven-haired girl, but each attempt never took. They didn't really seem adverse to each other, but it was more like a feeling of... timidness and tension would overwhelm them both. Ironically, the only time they could stay near each other for prolonged periods of time was when they were sparring against each other.  
  
With a sigh, Ranma-chan reached her dormatory, and only waited for an instant before the door automatically opened up to allow her entry.  
  
Unlike many other rooms she had visited of her 'brothers' and 'sisters', she kept hers sparce and spartan, almost empty. Many liked to decorate their rooms with things they had found from around the area, even remote places they visited on the planet when Nabiki-sensei or Kasumi-sensei would take them. Many of the other students of Anything Goes would have copies of scrolls or pictures of katas hanging about that Kasumi-sensei had given them. A few others even had framed pictures from visuals off the planet.  
  
Ranma liked the empty feel around her. It gave her a sense of freedom that relaxed her. It was uncomplicated, unlike how it was outside her door. Tarou wasn't her only friend, but the martial artist tended to keep to himself.  
  
The lights in the room were dimmed to almost the lowest setting before they were actually off, while the mechanical blinds were kept closed tight, not allowing any one to look in or out. It was almost like Ranma was closing the outside world away, whenever he was home.  
  
The successor of Kasumi sat in the middle of the floor, cross-legged, having completely forgotten about changing back to a guy. It wasn't like she was bothered being a girl, it was just the attention she got in that form. Ironically, she didn't care for the attention she always got from many of the girls in her guy form, exept from a certain few who barely seemed to notice him.  
  
With a rueful sigh, Ranma laid down onto her stomach, waving her feet behind her in the air precariously. "The suit's mine," she said, trying to savor her victory, but finding it like an empty accomplishment. "Eh," she continued, out loud, "So what? Not like there's a point, right now..."  
_____________________________  
  
A wayward space vessel, obviously worn and old, descended into the highest part of the atousphere on the other side of the planet from its seemingly slow and audious trek through space. Its silence stood as a metephor, the calm before the storm.  
  
Like still waters of the ocean stirred by an oncoming wind, the calm was broken. a vessel launched from the larger, and rapidly descended to terra firma.  
  
Its hull blistered red upon entry, quickly approaching the ground below. Creatures about the area scurried at the sound of impact, a sound akin to the thunderbreak of a most powerful hurricane.  
  
The calm had ended. 


	4. Rain

Chimaera  
Nabiki's eyes slowly opened, as she moaned at the low-keening sound coming from the wall panel by her nightstand. Grumbling as she sat up, she tapped her finger against the control pad next to the console built into the wall, and watched the small, softly lit screen that had flashed on fill with information.  
  
The woman slipped out of bed, and donned a robe, tightening the belt around her waist, before walking over to the other side of the room, to Kasumi's bed.  
  
"Kasumi, wake up." Nabiki's sister groaned, and pulled the covers over her head tighter. The younger sister had to smirk at that, "Come on, Kasumi, I don't," Nabiki yawned, "Don't want to be up any more than you do right now, but something just entered the atmosphere. We need to go verify it."  
  
"We don't need to verify every meteor or piece of spacejunk that crashdowns, Nabiki," Kasumi stated from under the covers, bent on not having to awaken fully before she was ready.  
  
Nabiki sighed, and sat down on the bed next to her sister's body, "Just get up, Sis. The sooner we finish this, the better."  
  
Finally, realizing that Nabiki would be persistant about this, Kasumi sat up, "Alright, let's go identify it and catalogue it, but I don't see why this couldn't wait until morning hours."  
  
"You know the drill, Sis. Verify ASAP, that way we don't end up with any complications." Nabiki got up off of Kasumi's bed, and pulled her sister's robe from the hook nearby, and tossed it to its owner. With her own irritated grumbles, Kasumi donned the robe, and then followed her sister out the room.  
______________________  
  
As the nights were longer than those on their origin planet, the residents were up and about well before the sun would ascend to the sky. Yet, that time for the beginnings of another day had not arrived. The rain had quieted down into a thin drizzle that pelted the surface of all in its way, laying a soothing static noise that was comforting in its own way.  
  
Many of the creatures that inhabited the terrain took advantage of the drenching weather; the flora absorbed moisture through its roots or leaves, gelatenous beings moistened their bodies, insects and animals surfaced or came from hiding in the hopes that nourishment would be presented from the wet land, and so forth.  
  
One such creature, unique to all else on the planet, also saught to take advantage of the rain. With well-honed stealth, it tracked its prey. The rodent-like creature was a pest, mainly suited as a scavenger, and well at the bottom of the food chain. It was aware that it was being hunted, but could not sense its predator anywhere around it.  
  
Fear and instinct dominated its simplistic mind, as it crouched low, and scanned its enviorment. None of its physical senses relayed anything of importance, only its primal intuition gave it the sense of direness that nearly overwhelmed the raccoon sized rodent. Finally, with a sweeping glance of its two rows of eyes, all six of its legs tensed, prepared to flee. Unfortunately, its predator chose then to strike, pinning it down against the ground.  
  
The rodent emitted a shrill scream, as it felt the surface of its flesh began to decay, and a lethargy begin to settle throught its body. It never ceased its cry, as it withered, cell by cell, while its own life energy was being siphoned from its being. Finally, the scream began to fade into nothingness, as the rodents body ceased any remote struggle. Brownish-green fur that was sparcely interrupted by dark yellow boney nodes turned to ash gray, before falling apart like the spent timber of an intense fire.  
  
The predator felt the relief settle through its being, after being seemingly too long since the last time it was able to feed this way.  
  
"I thought you would be out here..."  
  
"Tarou!" Ranma-chan shouted in shock, as she retracted her hand from the pile of ash, and spinning to confront her friend, "Wha-what?"  
  
Tarou shrugged under his water-proof cloak, "You always come out when it rains at night." Tarou stepped closer to Ranma, almost sighing, as the redhead fearfully stepped away, almost ashamed of herself. "I didn't ask you, did you... against Akane?"  
  
"NO!" Ranma shouted, vehemantly, "I would NEVER! I told you that!"  
  
Tarou shook his head, "You don't get it, Ranma. Like Nabiki and Kasumi say, any advantage in a fight is one that should be used. It's one of the founding principles of Anything Goes Martial Arts, remember?"  
  
Ranma turned to the now soaken remnents of her meal; she had even sucked the energy away that allowed the cells of the bones to maintain cohesion, "It's not right, alright?"  
  
"You still refuse to talk to Kasumi or Nabiki about it? They probably already know about it."  
  
"They don't know about it," Ranma replied, as she started walking back to the dorm area from the inner wooded region.  
  
"Come on, you've seen Nabiki! Both her and Kasumi are sharp as blades. Nothing ever escapes their notice!"  
  
"You're right, nothing does, and you better remember that, you two."  
  
"NABIKI!" Both Ranma and Tarou shouted.  
  
"Ah... h-how much did you hear?" Ranma studdered, her eyes wide with nervous fear.  
  
"Enough to know you have some secret you don't want us to know about," Nabiki replied, before waiving any explanations off, "Don't worry about it, as long as it doesn't cause any problems, you're welcome to your privacy.  
  
"How did you know we were out here?" Tarou asked, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.  
  
All three of them shifted their eyes upward, as the lightning flashed overhead. "Me and Kasumi were going to document an atmospheric entry, when we noticed the field gate to the woodedd region was down. I came down to check it out while Kasumi waits for me back inside."  
  
Nabiki turned away, and motioned both Ranma and Tarou to follow, "You may as well join us, since you're already up. You'll have to do this once in a while yourselves, especially if me and Kasumi become... indesposed."  
  
Both Tarou and Ranma looked at each other, when Nabiki's voice trailed off at the end. "Nabiki?" the former enquired.  
  
"Nothing, just considering the extreme, as usual. Just like I trained you to, Tarou."  
  
"Right, right," Nabiki's own potential successor replied, quickly.  
  
"Let's go, Kasumi's waiting for us."  
______________________  
  
"What were you two doing out in the rain at night?" Kasumi enquired idly, as she sat down before the secondary moniter.  
  
"Ah... nice night for a... walk," Ranma lied, towling his hair after a relieving quick shower.  
  
Kasumi shifted her eyes towards her protoge, but said nothing at the obvious lie. "Nabiki," the elder woman turned back to her moniter, "It's apparently survived entry. it came in at an entry window."  
  
Nabiki quickly sat down at her moniter, ignoring Tarou looking over her shoulder. The younger woman's eyes shifted through the information presented to her, before her expression grew serious, "It entered at a proper trajectory."  
  
"You mean that thing's artificial?" Tarou enquired, no less surprised than anyone else in the room.  
  
"Not necessarily," Kasumi replied, "Lots of things fall into orbit, this just may have been a meteor that had gotten lucky."  
  
"Oh," Ranma stated, actually not all entirely sure of what they were talking about. "Could it be dangerous?"  
  
"I doubt it," Nabiki answered, "but caution pays in the end." She entered a series of commands, and awaited the results, "It landed in the trundra region of the planet, quartisphere two..." Nabiki almost choked on air, "It's an artificial vessel! And it's almost burrowed into the ground!"  
  
"You mean that thing is alive?" Ranma asked with concern.  
  
"No, you idiot," Tarou quipped, "but something's running it."  
  
"That isn't a good thing, is it?"  
  
"No, it's not, Ranma," Nabiki admonished in a slightly scathing tone, earning a sideways glare from her older sister. Nabiki shrugged off Kasumi's ire, and continued, albeit in a less hostile manner, "We don't know what sent it here, or what it's doing here. Remote scan doesn't sense any rapid fluxuating energy signatures, so it may not be a world-bomb. Then again, it may just not be active... yet."  
  
"I doubt it's a bomb," Kasumi said in a worried voice, "The scans are reporting life being emitted from it." Kasumi stood up from her seat, "I'm going to go investigate it personally. This planet may be big enough for new inhabitants looking to resettle, but they're not welcome if they're hostile. Nabiki, prepare satilite orbit... as a precaution."  
  
The younger woman shifted her eyes towards her sister, only slightly turning her head towards her. Anyone who knew her intimately well knew this was a habit of her nervousness; attempting to hide her concern, but just barely managing to do so.  
  
Kasumi knew her sister well, "Caution pays in the end."  
  
"That may be a bit extreme, don't you think?" Nabiki enquired, though knowing full well that Kasumi was correct in her precautions.  
  
"Not if that thing detonates, and takes this planet with it," Kasumi replied a little too casually. "Ranma, Tarou, you stay with Nabiki and help her keep an eye on what's going on. I'll be there in approximately a half-hour." With that, Kasumi left the room, heading for the hanger bay.  
  
Nabiki leaned back in her seat, and let out a tensed breath. "Exciting, isn't it?" she asked with false mirth and levity.  
  
Tarou looked over to Ranma, who met his eyes with an unsettled stare. 


	5. Frozen

Ranma  
Metroid  
'Chimaera'  
The sleek, yellow vessel steadily cut through the clouds, as it soared within the planet's atmosphere towards it's southernwards destination. Vast oceans beaneath it became broken glaciers, arctic sentinels that rarely saw the direct light of the sun in more than glimpses. Those glaciers steadily became more solid, until they formed a vast land all their own. It had already been documented that land did lay benieth the frozen wasteland, though it had been several hundred years since it had peaked out from the ever-present layers of snow, compressed snow, and ice.  
  
The vessel slowed, before beginning its descent towards the millions of tons of solidified water that would be its landing ground. Just a little more than a meter before it even touched the ground, it stilled, remaining suspended like a time-lost ghostship in crystal clear ice, not even so much as disturbing the smooth, windswept floor of powder-pristine snow below it.  
  
From the top of the vessel, the sounds of energized doors sounded, before a figure launched from it. The being that exited the vessel did a graceful somersault, before landing in a kneal. The snow that had previously surrounded the spot of the landing spread away in a rippling nimbus ring, before settling at a small radius.  
  
Kasumi brought herself to standing, and looked around, before her eyes caught the alien craft's entry into the frozen tundra.  
________________  
  
Nabiki leaned back in her seat, just as Tarou leaned forward earnestly, while Ranma stared intently. They saw what Kasumi was seeing, as the Space Hunter zoomed into the wreckage location. It had burrowed deeper than a distance observation would allow, with the impact crater's edges obscuring it.  
  
Tarou and Ranma gasped, as the edges of the viewscreen blurred, and the crater was upon them. "Light Dash," Nabiki explained to the two gawking young men.  
  
"[It's burrowed in deep... this technologie's pretty old.]"  
  
Kasumi's voice drew everyone's attention back to the moniter. Nabiki gave a low whistle, as she looked at the charcoal black crushed vessel that was halfway into the bottom floor of the crater, "I don't think we've ever come across something like this. I would say it was before our time."  
  
The viewscreen ascended, and continued to ascend, showing the sheer scope of the vessel. The viewscreen suddenly darkened, becoming a nothing but an image of dark blue hues. Eventually, the image traveled along the length of the ship, until it found what Kasumi was looking for.  
  
"[Found a potential entry way...]"  
  
Even if she couldn't be seen by the Space Hunter, Nabiki nodded in responce. The view suddenly changed back to standard visual, before the perspective dropped. The view moved towards the spot that Kasumi had identified, before they heard the tell-tale sound of a bomb being dropped.  
  
The explosion that ensued shook the screen, revealing a space where the vessel's exterior had been weakened enough. Through the small hole, Kasumi rolled through, before standing from her morph-ball.  
  
"[This technology's ancient. I would say on par for Earth's before...]"  
  
"I understand," Nabiki said, barely schooling her emotions, "So, it's probably just a wreckege that drifted into our atmosphere?"  
  
"[...]"  
  
"Kasumi?"  
  
"[At least five different types of lifeforms, none indigenous to this region... to this planet. Their spore is all over the ship]"  
  
The camera raised perspective, and the sounds of Kasumi's footsteps sounded, when the image started forward. The interior of the ship was decrepid, possibly ancient for what their galactic civilization had seen. The unlit corridors jutted with rectangular potrusions that made navigation through them somewhat hazardous. The silence of in the air, only offset by the slightly audible howling of the wind beyond the vessel's walls, reinforced the tension everyone felt.  
  
Kasumi's view swerved, as her arm cannon came into view; aiming into the darkness. "[Nothing...]" Kasumi stated, before turning back down the path she was following. "[They've all abandoned the ship.]"  
  
"To where?" Nabiki asked, leaning forward, almost letting her anxiousness get the best of her.  
  
"[Obviously not outside the ship...]" In the darkness, Kasumi's gloved hand brushed aside some cables that came into view, as she stepped into a narrow corridor. The floor was much more on an incline than her previous trek, leading her to believe that she was in the part of the ship that had rammed into the ground. Growing tired of the darkness, Kasumi turned on her forward lighting, illuminating the path.  
  
"Why didn't she do that before?" Tarou asked, a bit irritated.  
  
"She doesn't want to alert anything to her, if there was something in there," Nabiki answered, not taking her eyes off the viewscreen.  
  
The light reflected off of what was apparently a cockpit suitable for aproximately a crew of fifteen. Broken viewscreens, damaged control panels, and various other signs of destruction and decay decorated the area for Kasumi, Nabiki, Ranma, and Tarou's inspection. The camera stopped, right on a hole in the wall of about three feet in diameter.  
  
Kasumi quickly made her way over to it, and kneeled to investigate, "[it's opening into an underground cavern... recently burrowed.]"  
  
Nabiki nodded, "Be careful, Kasumi."  
  
The camera perspective changed again, as Kasumi entered the hole in the hull that let her out to the freshly made cavern. Nabiki, Ranma, and Tarou could almost feel the sensation of freefall, before Kasumi landed against the ground. Standing up from the morph ball, the space hunter briskly made her way down the corridor, feeling the same forboding sensation that everyone else did.  
  
Abruptly, Kasumi stopped, once the burrowed tunnel widened into large cavern.  
  
"What's that?" Ranma asked, looking at the screen with a puzzled expression.  
  
"One of the ancient civilization's temples..." Nabiki commented a bit surprised, "It must have been buried under all that ice for eons..."  
  
"[It doesn't have any of their technology. This is probably the oldest one we've found.]"  
  
"Wow, this thing is huge!" Ranma commented, as he looked up best he could from the image presented. The temple's impressive frame spanned farther than the successor to Kasumi could presume, and it's height towering beyond the wall of the cavern; hidden behind thousands, possibly millions of years of solidly frozen ice.  
  
"[Nabiki, don't you find all this... too coincidental?]" Kasumi inquired, though knowing that both of them assumed the obvious.  
  
"I know what you mean, Kasumi. We've well gon beyond establishing this was not an accident; the only questions now are who and why? It's pretty obvious they knew about this location, and picked it precisely."  
  
Ranma gave a shiver, as Kasumi entered the entrance of the temple. The threshold was a stone carving of a bestial maw, perhaps emulating one of the great and ancient beasts of the planet, warding off any who would dare tresspass. It possibly could have been fierce god of the worshipped past. In any possibility, it's angry wide mouth held open, as if beckoning any to journey into the belly of the beast.  
  
Kasumi stepped through, as if daring the fates, and found herself looking into what appeared to be a large hall that could have served as the inner cathedral. Dimly lit balls of light that impossibly remained lit after all this time, cast an ultra-violet hue onto the roughly carved stone floor. The tension spread through out it's empty volume, but was as thick as the fog over a dead swamp. Something was about to happen.  
  
Bringing her arm cannon to ready, presenting those who observed from a great distance away with the image of the powerful weapon cycling with deadly energy, Kasumi confidently but cautiously jogged through the empty hall, until she approached the end of the lighted hall. Beyond any further, only remained darkness...  
  
"What... the..." Tarou was the only one seemingly able to speak, as out stepped Kasumi's mirror image.  
  
"That isn't a reflection..." Nabiki whispered, confirming everyone suspicions, "Kasumi... that's your old suit..."  
  
"[I know,]" Kasumi replied in a cold voice. Nabiki, Ranma, and Tarou feel Kasumi's firm, concentrated gaze upon what would obviously be her opponent as if it were their own. As one, they all tensed, just before both Kasumi and the doppelganger exploded into action.  
  
All that those that weren't actively participating in the conflict could make out were blurred images of light and form through the camera. But even with their vision inhibited, they weren't completely incapable of accessing the situation.  
  
"What's going on?" Tarou shouted, "Her energy's just DROPPING!"  
  
"I don't know! It's..." Nabiki shouted over the sound of what almost seemed to be a steady strike of thunder rolling unendingly against the floor of an open plain. She quickly checked the status of the armor being relayed, before she baulked, "...it's coming from impacts to her armor..."  
  
"You mean to tell me that there's SOMETHING strong enough to actually hammer the suit enough to damage it that bad?" Ranma urgently demanded. If Kasumi was being dealt this much damage... he feared that avenue of thought.  
  
Suddenly, the image stilled briefly, presenting for the merest moments another glimpse of Kasumi's opponent. For the merest of moments, cold, determined eyes could be seen through the yellowish-green visor. Ranma swore they were Kasumi's, but Nabiki saw... more.  
  
The image suddenly turned to looking down towards the doppelganger, as Kasumi took to the air. As if answering a challenge, her opponent leapt to meet the Space Hunter, and the sound of rolling thunder, which was now identified as the sounds of lighting fast blows being exchnged, armor against armor, ensued.  
  
The breath they had been holding choked them, when they all saw themselves rapidly descending from the still airborne doppelganger. The clang of armor against stone, and the jarring camera told them that Kasumi faired the least during the tradeoff.  
  
"That thing's stronger than Kasumi?" Tarou whispered, frightenly awed by the results of the outcome.  
  
The camera rolled, just as the doppelganger was descending upon it. It turned back to the sound of shattering stone, to find a dustcloud. From within it, a slight blur rushed towards Kasumi, and the sound of metal rapidly slamming into metal at impossible speeds resumed.  
  
"KASUMI, BREAK OFF! DO YOU HEAR ME! BREAK OFF!!!" Nabiki desperately shouted, as the steady beeping sounded; the tell-tale sign that the armor was dangerously low on energy. Kasumi started to retreat, and the doppelganger sayed upon her, pressuring her to falter.  
  
Out of sheer desperation, Kasumi lashed out with a thrust kick that fortunately caught it unawares. She turned to run, just in time to see an ice-blue beam head straight for the viewscreen...  
  
And then the image became static... 


	6. Demand

'Chimaera'  
  
"Wha... what happened? What happened to Kasumi?" Ranma breathed, feeling the urge to panic build. "Where is she?"  
  
"I don't know!" Nabiki nearly shouted, as she stared wide eyed at the static screen. Her heart felt as if it were jackhammering out of her chest, while her lungs just couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. The thought that raced through her mind wasn't that Kasumi was just defeated, but an array of convoluted thoughts that her sharp mind would usually shift through with little difficulty. But now, the incident she had just witnessed made it difficult for her to think straight, the animal instinct within her coaxing her to give into terror, finally allowing the horrendous thought to cleave through the heavy electric storm that fogged her mental capabilities.  
  
Kasumi... Kasumi could be...  
  
"What the heck was that thing?" Tarou demanded, "It looked like Kasumi!"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW, ALRIGHT?!?" Nabiki shouted, unable to keep the hysterics in her eyes in check. The unveiled terror she graced them with slammed the gravity of what just happened into them, even moreso than the actual event. For Nabiki to be afraid and unsure meant that whatever happened to Kasumi... was final.  
  
"Oh man, she isn't coming back, is she?" Tarou breathed, as he staggered back.  
  
"NO!" Ranma shouted, "WE GOTTA BRING HER BACK!! CALL HER AGAIN! WHAT IF IT'S INTERFERENCE?!?"  
  
"SHUT UP, RANMA! JUST SHUT UP!" Nabiki ordered, fighting back the impending flood of tears. She was already sliding through different broadcast frequencies to see if Kasumi intentionally scrambled it, but she didn't hold any delusions, since the signal break was instantanious, and not a fade out.  
  
Nervously, Nabiki brushed the hair from the left side of her face, as her eyes shifted through the last transferred armor and vital stats, enviorment readings, while scanning the battle that had been on instant record. Before whatever seemed to hit Kasumi, her armor protection statistics were dismal; there wasn't much she could have survived if she had recieved a direct hit.  
  
She kept looking for something, any small clue denoting Kasumi's survival. Whatever that... thing was that hit her, that doppelganger, it was obviously intent on getting rid of the original. Even if Kasumi's armor merely failed, Nabiki had no doubt that the other being would quickly capitalize on incapacitation.  
  
Nabiki's head dropped, as her hands stopped moving through the controls.  
  
"Hey! Don't stop, Kasumi's still out there!" Ranma demanded, nearly hysterical, himself.  
  
"Tarou, help me start the base to orbit protocols. Start marking what areas we can jettison that aren't essential. Evaluate all... make sure everyone is accounted for." Nabiki commanded in a monotone voice, never bringing her head up.  
  
Tarou's face turned grim, before he nodded. He sat down in the seat Kasumi had occupied barely an hour ago, and brought up the display.  
  
"What are you doing? You're just not gonna-" Ranma started to say, before Nabiki quickly favored him with an angry expression that was tainted by glossy eyes.  
  
"DAMN IT, RANMA! SHUT.... just shut up, please?" At the plead, Nabiki's shoulders began to shake, as her voice grew heavy and wracked for breath.  
  
Both boys watched their remaining mentor collapse into tears, attempting to cover her face, but unsuccessful in keeping the sorrowful moisture falling from her eyes.  
  
"Get out, Ranma."  
  
Ranma turned to look at Tarou, "What? You can't just tell me to-"  
  
"GET OUT OF HERE! WE DON'T NEED YOU IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Tarou interrupted, before he quieted down, "All you're doing is creating a bigger problem."  
  
Giving his partner one last glare, Ranma rushed out the room, and didn't stop running until he was a good distance away. He slowed down in the corridor, before sighing, and slumping against the metal wall of the low-lit hall. Kasumi, being... no, it just wasn't a possibility for him. To Ranma, she was the zenith of ability, for her to falter, for her to prove herself mortal before his eyes, it was as if the safety net he always knew was under him was realized as the illusion it was.  
  
What was worse, he wouldn't admit it out loud, but he... liked Kasumi, a lot more than he knew was probably appropriate. Ranma couldn't help it, he didn't socialize much with the others exept for Tarou, since they seemed the closest in personality. Kasumi always had time for him, if it were for extra training, or just to talk. He felt comfortable with her even moreso than he did with Tarou sometimes, because he knew he wouldn't have to suffer any taunts that he often recieved playfully from Tarou. She was a diciplinarian, but Ranma rarely undermined her.  
  
His respect, admiration, and adoration for Kasumi wouldn't allow him to just simply accept Kasumi's apparent demise, but there wasn't anything he could see that he could do. Despairing, Ranma continued down the hall, disappearing into the darkness, as the lights within shut off one by one.  
  
_______________________  
  
"So, we're just going to run?" Tarou enquired, as he began his tasks.  
  
"We don't know what that was that just took out Kasumi. If it intended to stop with her, we don't know that either. Removing ourselves as a target would be the best course of action until we can think of something else to do."  
  
"Anything Goes Special Technique," Tarou replied, drolly.  
  
"Look, if you're not going to be helpful, I can do this myself!" Nabiki snapped, not in the mood to deal with his sarcasm, even if she understood it was his way of dealing with the current stress.  
  
"What do you think it may be?" her protoge enquired, quickly changing the subject.  
  
Nabiki's lips pursed, before she answered, "Possibly the X-virus... Samus had a run in with it."  
  
Tarou recalled the story, and knew something didn't fit, "But it looked like Kasumi, wearing her old armor. When did she come in contact with it?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head, "She didn't, so that suspicion is unlikely, but not one to rule out."  
  
"Everyone's accounted for. Me and Ranma were the only ones out tonight, apparently."  
  
"And weight?"  
  
Tarou nodded, "Optimum, but I kept the full food storage, just in case."  
  
Nabiki didn't think they would be up there that long, since she intended to call for assistance as soon as they reached orbit, but nodded, "Good idea to be cautious. Compacting now..."  
  
_______________________  
  
Ranma felt the ground begin to tremble, knowing that they were now starting to draw in the satilite stations around the main part of their home. The area he was in was largely unaffected, since it was part of the center base, thus already part of the main unit.  
  
He gritted his teeth, becoming overwhelmed with his fustration. It wasn't right, they shouldn't have just given up on Kasumi like that. She's never failed a mission, and to just write her off at the first sign of trouble...  
  
"This sucks," Ranma growled, punching a nearby wall, and leaving a sizable dent. All around him, the sounds of lubricated metal sliding against metal, machinery both highly complex and deceptively simplistic doing its tasks, and advanced technology humming with energy could be heard. The base was remarkably efficient when going into compact mode, it wouldn't take long to complete the process. Of course, everyone would be awake by now, and wondering what was going on, but their opinion on the matter was irrelevant, just like Nabiki thought Ranma's apparently was.  
  
His lamented stroll took him to the hanger area, where he saw through the domed door the secondary ship, "Kasumi, I'm not giving up on you. I'm sure you'll make it out of this mess..."  
  
At that moment, Ranma decided, and he didn't care what Nabiki thought about what he intended to do.  
  
_______________________  
  
Nabiki closed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair, as they felt the subtle shift of the base rising, the sensation buffered by the gravity dampeners. She didn't dare open her eyes again, since she knew the moment she did, she would break down. Kasumi, she lost her sister, her friend, the one person that she could ever remain close to and understood her.  
  
The choice of the matter was taken from her, as she heard the door behind her open. A few of the kids would probably be coming around about now to ask what was going on. She was going to have to come up with a safe answer that won't cause severe problems. As she turned around, she found Ranma standing over her with a firm expression on his face. At the sight, she sighed, and closed her eyes again. "What?"  
  
"I'm going after her," Ranma replied in his most serious tone. After that, he turned, and started to leave. He didn't make it a step, as Nabiki suddenly somersaulted over him, driving a back thrust kick into his chest right before she landed. The blow was powerful enough to send him tumbling over the chair, almost slamming into the control unit. Tarou stared in shock at what was going on. He knew that Nabiki may not have been completely up to par with Kasumi, but she was still leagues ahead of Ranma. He sincerely hoped Kasumi's heir wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight.  
  
"THE HELL YOU WILL!" Nabiki shouted, glaring at Ranma angrily, while blocking the exit, "I'm not going to let you get involved with whatever was down there!"  
  
Ranma came to standing, holding his chest in pain; the kick hurt a LOT, and the blow was made so the force didn't send him flying, just so he absorbed the full impact. "I'm not going to just let Kasumi go without knowing what really happened to her!"  
  
"Don't be foolish! You SAW what happened!" Nabiki was near shouting, as she pointed to the turned off screen just beside Ranma.  
  
"We saw NOTHING!" Ranma retorted, getting back to standing, "You assume that she just took a dive, no ands, ifs, or buts! But I'm not going to just up and forget about her, no matter what you say!" Ranma came to full standing, as Nabiki flinched at the vehemance of Ranma's words, "So, you either get out of the way, or I'm going to have to push you out of the way..."  
  
Ranma's eyes widened slightly, as he saw Nabiki's face go stone neutral, and the temperature of the room dropped several degrees. A sudden wind began to blow, billowing Nabiki's robes ominously, "By all means, Ranma, you can try."  
  
Tarou quickly rushed out of the room, deciding that he would come back in a few seconds to bring Ranma to the infimary. 


	7. Inhibition

'Chimaera'  
  
Ranma had never seen Nabiki like this before. He well understood that she was to be respected, and demanded respect fully, even from her sister. Kasumi often commented how she admired Nabiki for her intellect, but never commented on her ability. Because of this, Ranma had never viewed her as much of a fighter. Granted, he was sure she would have some ability, but...  
  
"How...?" Ranma could only mutter, as a sudden violent wind began to buffer him like the breech of a hurricane. Nabiki seemed rather unaffected by the raging tempest, as her clothes simply fluttered while she stood in the eye of the storm.   
  
She kept her arms held wide, as she stared at Ranma. "Ranma, we do not need this foolishness right now, I'm asking you to quit before we allow this to go too far."  
  
"Nabiki-sensei," Ranma replied, holding himself braced to the spot as his arms crossed over his face, "I can't go far enough for Kasumi."  
  
The last ounce of pleading melted from Nabiki's face, "So be it. I'm afraid you won't be able to go anywhere for a while, when we're through..." With that, she suddenly crossed her arms quickly, and Ranma felt as if the whole tempest converged towards him like a speeding freight train, slamming him into the control panel behind him.  
  
"You'll be the one fixing that," Nabiki commented, idly, as she swiped one of her crossed arms to the side, creating a violent gale to throw Ranma sideways, into a wall. This was one of Elder Cologne's techniques, to be able to control the enviorment on an elemental level. It was extremely effective on the original Ranma, as it kept him from gaining any bearing on his surroundings, and ensuring he stayed off balance. It was one of the few advanced techniques Nabiki ever learned, and mastered, and it was also the only one she decided she would ever need.  
  
Ranma's back connected heavily with the barrier he was thrown into, before he plummeted unceremoniously to the ground. This wasn't a fight he was particularly used to. Nabiki was obviously not going to allow him to easily get close, which probably meant he was still faster and stronger than her. Hopefully, he could finish this with one good blow. If he were to even hope to make it through the battle intact, he would have to apply a great deal of lateral thinking, as Kasumi always emphesized.  
  
Ranma slowly got up, and seemed to study his second mother, before rushing at her. Nabiki almost snorted, wondering what foolishness Kasumi must have taught her protoge, as she simply flicked her hand to the side, causing Ranma to be sacked by a heavy wind that hit with the impact of a wrecking ball. Ranma had noticed the hand jesture, and quickly braced the side he expected the impact to come from, and rode it to another wall.  
  
He managed to turn his body horizontally, just in time to brace his feet against it, and ran. The wind blast Nabiki had just created was spinning around the room like a powerful tropical storm, adding to Ranma's momentum, and allowing him to stay running against the walls.  
  
Nabiki watched Ranma curiously, and went into a subtle defensive stance. Her caution managed to barely pay off, as the pigtailed boy suddenly launched himself off of the wall, crossing in front of Nabiki, and flipping like a thrown discus.  
  
Nabiki's eyes went wide, as she barely managed to duck the heal of Ranma's foot almost connecting with the side of her head. The force of Ranma kick, added with the power given to him by riding out the small storm, would have easily felled the woman.  
  
She understood that she needed to take him to the utmost seriousness, as she suddenly thrust her hands up, causing the wind to change direction, and throwing Ranma up into the ceiling.  
  
Ranma felt the wind knocked out of him, before he plummeted to the ground. As he retempted to recover himself before he hit the ground, Nabiki's foot slammed into his stomach.  
  
Her flying kick carried him all the way to the wall, and pinned him here like an insect on a child's science project. She withdrew her foot, as gravity took over, and spun around to drive the heal of her other one into Ranma's temply. Kasumi's successor had enough capacity to duck before it could connect, and promptly launched himself into the offensive. She game within attacking range, which Ranma knew would be to his benefit.  
  
Nabiki quickly rushed back, barely able to stay ahead of Ranma's hands and feet. The pigtailed boy could see she was about to lose her balance, as she wasn't able to gain a firm footing. Beginning to grin at her sign of panic, Ranma pressed even harder, as he was pushing her towards a wall, meaning she would have nowhere else to go.  
  
Nabiki cupped her hands together at her stomach, as if to form a ki attack. Ranma saw it, and refused to allow her any quarter, "No you don't!" His fist passed through her cupped hands, changing into an uppercut aimed for her jaw. At this, Nabiki smiled.  
  
The ensuing explosion sent them both flying away from each other, though Ranma's flight was much more violent. Nabiki recovered, her feet sliding backwards against the ground from the momentum of her pressure bomb, while Ranma bounced against the ground, before crumpling against the base of the control panel. Staggeringly, he pulled himself back to standing, giving a very weary eye to Nabiki. She had intentionally set that up so that she could do the most damage to him in one shot, aiming to end the fight right then and there. The slight surprise on her face only confirmed his suspicions.  
  
"Ranma... stop this," Nabiki demanded, going into a Taichi stance, as the wind began to rotate around her; picking up debris that had been created during their battle.  
  
"I... won't fail Kasumi," Ranma challenged. He knew he didn't have all that much more left, but was more than prepared to give it his all.  
  
"And I won't fail my sister by allowing any of you to put yourselves in danger," Nabiki countered, solumnly. In a subtle motion, she slammed her palm into one of the heavy pieces of debris that was circling to the front of her, sending it flying at Ranma with precision, "Even if I have to put you out of commission, myself."  
  
Ranma deftly dodged out of the way of the rubble that was launched at him at extreme velocity, before shouting out in pain from a strong blow from the side to his ribs. Nabiki continued to carry Ranma to the side with the blade of wind she has slashed him with, before turning her blade hand verticle, and swinging her other open palm from the outside in.  
  
Almost immidiately Ranma changed directions in the air, jerked in the turbulence like a rag doll. It was all he could do to keep from blacking out, as he slid against the ground. His vitality was running short, and it had gotten worse when he felt the temperature in the room dropping severely.  
  
Nabiki was apparently giving no quarter, beginning to utilize her trump card. This would greatly hurt Ranma, but it was for his own benefit. "I'm finishing this fight now, Ranma." At her announcement, she gracefully dragged her right palm across her, casing a line of debris to follow, before swinging the same hand back the other way to backhand each piece, sending them flying at Ranma.  
  
Kasumi's successor knew it wouldn't be a good idea to attempt to dodge them again, and instead spun into a backfist, sending the majority of them scattering all over the place. Nabiki idly tilted her head out of the way of the one piece that came closest to hitting her, and ignored it as he slammed against the wall, and fell against the ground. Almost with contempt, Nabiki just only slightly gestured with one hand, flicking her fingers upwards.  
  
Right under Ranma, a centralized tornado erupted, throwing him off his feet. He was flipped head over heels, landing heavily against the back of his neck. Nabiki stood patiently, awaiting to see if Ranma could even move or not, before she began to relax.  
  
"I'm... not finished... yet."  
  
Nabiki's head jerked up, as her eyes shown both admiration and annoyance. She credited Ranma's tenacity, but this had gone on far too long. The woman drew her arm back, with her hand curled into a fist.  
  
Ranma felt the extreme cold begin to overwhelm him, wondering when they damaged the local temperature regulation system. Growling as he focused every last bit of energy he had, Ranma charged forward, and leapt into the air for one final all-or-nothing attack.  
  
Nabiki looked up at him, and punched into the air towards him, sending her most potent gale attack at him yet. Ranma's eyes slammed shut, as he crossed his arms in front of him, hoping to absorb the impact. Fortunately, his gambit prevailed, as the force of the blast mostly dissippated before it hit him. There was still enough to rob him of his velocity, so he wouldn't crash into Nabiki.  
  
The Tendou sister's eyes went wide, as something slammed into the back of her head, right at the base of the skull. Unsteadily, she turned to see what it was, and found the piece of debris that Ranma had punched right back at her, laying on the ground. As her vision became blury, she chuckled slightly. Ranma used the vacuum she created with her attack to hit her from behind. He set her up with a novel rendition of the Demon Deep Sea Chasm.  
  
Ranma rushed over to her, just as Nabiki slumped to one leg, trying to shake the conciousness back into her. Ranma caught her, just as she was collapsing forward.  
  
"Ranma... please..." The pigtailed boy studied Nabiki's pleading, saddened face, right before she slumped, unconcious.  
  
He beat her... he beat Nabiki. During the battle, he was beginning to suspect it wasn't even possible, as she knew exactly how to counter his fighting style. He couldn't contemplate it at the moment, as the arctic temperatures of the room were causing him to nearly pass out.  
  
Gathering Nabiki up in his arms, he rushed from the room and down the hall, only stopping once he felt comfortable with the temperature. Ranma continued to pant, feeling the toll of the battle upon him.  
  
"You... you actually won?"  
  
Ranma turned an irritated expression towards Tarou, who stood by seemingly in shock, "Yes, I won, alright? But I'm not happy about it." Ranma looked down at Nabiki, already regretting the fight, "What are we going to do with her?"  
  
Tarou sighed, deciding his own fate, "Well, we're already going to be in serious trouble for this. I suggest we keep her somehow incompacitated long enough for us to go rescue Kasumi."  
  
Ranma looked sceptically at Tarou, "'We'?"  
  
"Sorry, but Nabiki wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I let you go alone," Tarou replied with mirth, "So, I'll be busted if I do, busted if I don't."  
  
Ranma nodded, and then once again looked down at Nabiki. 


	8. Determination

Ranma  
  
Metroid  
  
'Chimeara'  
  
Ranma wearily trudged through the dark corridors with Nabiki over his shoulder. He dearly hoped she wouldn't wake up, but had no idea how long she would be unconcious. He still wasn't sure what to do about her, if he should leave her be, or make sure she was impeded from making any attempt to stop him again.  
  
"I still can't believe you, you... won."  
  
Ranma would have been irritated at the surprise in his friend's voice, if it weren't for the fact he was just as shocked at the outcome. It almost seemed as if Nabiki had control over everythingin that room. No matter what he tried, she was already countering him, or even anticipating his move. It was by some fluke that he even managed to sneak his all or nothing gambit in; he was already bracing for Nabiki to finish it when his luck came through.  
  
"Yeah, I did," Ranma mumbled, before speaking out loud, "I need to put her somewhere until I'm in the clear, can you deal with her until then?"  
  
Tarou shook his head, "Ranma, I can't let you go..." at the challenging look the other boy was giving him, Tarou quickly amended himself, "alone... Nabiki would have my head for that."  
  
Ranma sighed, realizing he just wouldn't be able to talk Tarou out of it, and shifted Nabiki gently into a cradle in his arms, "So... then what do we do with her...?"  
  
__________________  
  
They were already achieved orbital, by the time Ranma and Tarou boarded the secondary Space Hunter craft, and prepared to disembark. As her companion made the last minute preparations required, Ranma looked back to the only suit that had been left for spare. Actually, the true spares were locked away where Ranma wouldn't be able to gain access without Nabiki or Kasumi's authorization. The blue, red, and yellow suit that had been in the available armory was all they could come across.   
  
Much to Ranma's dissatisfaction, it lacked the armor of the others, instead being made of some sort of highly resistant polymer that molded easily to the weilder's physique. The redheaded girl did have to acknowledge the fact that it's streamlined design allowed for more flexability, and weighed far less than the other space hunter armors. It would prove a valuable quality, though it was a grave concern how the material it was constructed of would contend with damage sustained.  
  
"Okay, we're set to launch."  
  
"Huh?" Ranma replied, turning back to face her partner.  
  
Tarou sighed, reached over to Ranma's control panel, and activated a few settings. "That was your que to enforce the gravitational buffers."  
  
"Well, you could have just told me," Ranma replied, a bit put off at the apparent condesending tone the other boy was using.  
  
"Forget it, Ranma," Tarou replied, at the moment to weary to deal with one of his friend's infamous indignant triads, "We haven't attracted any attention, that's good. They will notice us when we head back to the planet surface."  
  
"They'll probably try to find Nabiki... or Kasumi for answers, that should take them a while and it would be too late then for them to stop us."  
  
"Good point," Tarou congradulated, "She's going to be angry, you know?"  
  
"Nabiki?" Ranma enquired.  
  
"Yes, Nabiki," Tarou replied, scathingly, "The way we left her is going to put her in a pretty bad mood."  
  
"Eh, not like she wasn't going to be mad already," Ranma replied, taking the hostility Nabiki would be displaying as a given. Still, maybe they had gone too far in restraining her...?  
  
__________________  
  
"Ranma, okay, you've taken this far enough... Ranma? RANMA?!? Tarou? I know you weren't stupid enough to go with him... Tarou, I'm not going to hold it against you as long as you... Tarou? ANYBODY?!?"  
  
The force of Nabiki's shouts forced her to swing slightly from the rope she was hogtied with, with it's other end bound to a beam in the ceiling. Normally, she would not have found it any difficulty to escape her bonds... but of course, this happened to be one of Kasumi's styles of knots. It would of course be logical she would teach them to her predecessor...  
  
"SOMEBODY... GET ME DOWN. I swear, when I get ahold of you two...!!!"  
  
__________________  
  
Tarou shuddered, "You know? maybe it would be best if we didn't return. I just got the feeling that Nabiki won't be exactly welcoming us back."  
  
"That's not a problem. Kasumi will clear everything up when we bring her back." Ranma stated, confidently, "Are we ready?"  
  
Tarou shook his head, "Ranma, you shouldn't be so sure about Kasumi. I want her back just as much as you do, but there's no guarentee that she did survi-"  
  
"Let's go," Ranma said with a subdued, yet commanding voice, ending Tarou's warning abruptly. The redhead's companion grit his teeth, and nodded.  
  
The dome over the hanger slowly opened to reveal darkness of the infinite void. The absence of a roof left the craft exposed to the thin atmousphere of the orbit they currently maintained around their current home planet. The ship slowly rose from hit's perch, ascending towards an elevation from the dock before they began to approach the planet next to them. The space hunter's ship did a slow barrel roll to invert itself, before it headed southward of the planet. Southwards to where Kasumi had gone to investigate.   
  
Tarou looked over at Ranma, and found her unusually quiet, even moreso than she usually was. The redhead didn't socialize much with anyone, but Tarou she usually opened up to. As Nabiki would say, no person is an island'. Ranma may not feel as if she could relax around others, choosing to act uninterested and flippant in regards to others, but Tarou was the one person other than Kasumi that she felt she could easily speak with. At the moment, Ranma was focused and resolute. Any attempt for conversation would be for naught.  
  
The silence permeated the interior of the ship as it speedily descended into the depths of the atmousphere, entering at an angle to reduce resistance and friction. It was almost no time at all when they were piercing the highest level of clouds like a needle through mist. Their angle leveled out, as they began to skim the chilled waters below them. Further and further in abundance, the water became littered with boulders and mountains of ice, before all that was below them was a frozen white tundra.  
  
The snow nearly blinded the visuals as it belted the vessel in thick walls. This, compiled with the demanding winds that crossed their trajectory potentially made for a hazardous flight, if not for the tremendously advanced technology within the space ship that was at Ranma and Tarou's disposal.  
  
It was yet a few short, deathly quiet moments before they arrived at their destination. "There it is," Tarou commented; even if he was stating the obvious, he felt saying anything to break the tense silence was necessary. The identical vessel Kasumi had arrived in sat a short distance away from the crash site, seeming unphased by the onslaught of snow that pelted it as it hovered above the ground.  
  
Ranma's expression changed slightly to pensive, before growing determined again. She rose from the co-pilot's seat, and walked back to the rear of the ship. She stopped before the stolen space hunter suit, trailing her fingers over the deceptively soft feeling material that it was crafted from, before she began to strip out of her current bodysuit, and don it.  
  
Tarou watched the process with a solumn expression. He hadn't failed to notice the fleeting look of uncertainty Ranma had, and chose once more to make his objection. "It isn't too late. We can still turn back, and no one would think any less of you. Kasumi would understand, you know?"  
  
Ranma held the final piece to complete her transformation into the true successor of a legacy that the entire universe held gratification to. She turned to Tarou with a solumn and determined look, "Don't ask me that again."  
  
At that moment, Tarou knew Ranma had been internally debating that very fact Tarou proposed, when she allowed herself to briefly express apprehension. "Then... I guess it's good luck... Ranma." There was mothing more to say, exept for what he would supply as Ranma's field advisor.  
  
The redhead held the red helmet with green visor poised over her head, "Give it to the ones that ambushed Kasumi..." Ranma lowered the helmet to her head, allowing the autolocks to seal it securely into place. "They'll be the ones needing it." The muffling of her voice by the helmet did nothing to hide her utter dedication to her objective; save Kasumi, and punish whoever blindsided her.  
  
Tarou nodded, as he turned to the moniter screen, satisfied to see within it the interior of the ship from Ranma's perspective. Ranma approached the center of the small ship, and stood on a circular platform, before looking towards the ceiling.  
  
Almost of it's own accord, it rose to meet the hatch at the top of the vessel that slowly opened to allow for her exit. Within moments, Ranma was halfway out of the ship.  
  
"[AAAHHHH!!!!]"  
  
Tarou jolted at Ranma's cry, before quickly turning to the hatch. Ranma was completely outside and on the top of the vessel, before he thought to reverse the elevating platform and bring his companion back inside. After doing so, he quickly leapt from his seat, and rushed to meet Ranma's descent.  
  
"Ranma! What... what happened?"  
  
The redhead was hunched in a fetal position sideways on the platform; her arms wrapped tightly around her knees still failed to restrict the amount of shivering she was producing.  
  
"C.... cold...." was all she could voice, as Tarou sat her up.  
  
"Ranma," Tarou began to reply in fierce agitation, "why didn't you activate the termal buffers BEFORE you went out? It's like a thousand negative centigrade out there!"  
  
Ranma fought to bring herself undercontrol, if only to angrily retort, "I DID! But... it was just like... like..." Ranma wasn't sure how to describe the freezing pain she felt. Cold always seemed to make her extremely uncomfortable, even moreso than anyone else, but the exposure to the climate outside nearly crippled her with the buffer on standard level.  
  
Tarou snorted at her inability to describe it, and didn't really care past his immidiate concern for his friend, "Ranma... try setting it higher, it'll probably consume power faster, but if you can't even go outside, there's no point in us being here."  
  
Ranma nodded, finally regaining her bearings. She was unaccustomed to the controls of the suit, but found the thermal buffer controls easily. She raised the level, and the readings began to show a 40% drain on resources was likely when it was utilized. With one last nod, Ranma stood up, and raised to look at the ceiling above. Tarou stepped back, as she rose once more.  
  
Ranma was outside once again. Even with the air outside, she could feel the cool nipping at her flesh even through the suit and it's buffers. Immidiately, she realized that her suit was quickly draining power due to the exposure, as energy was quickly being consumed to comensate for the extreme temperatures.  
  
Acting quickly, Ranma leapt from the top of the vessel, and was pleased to find the suit had light-dash capability, as she rushed to the hole in the old, decrepid ship that had nearly completely burrowed into the frozen ground. 


	9. Resolve

Ranma  
  
Metroid  
  
'Chimaera'  
  
Once sheltered from the harsh winds and overwhelming blasts of snow, Ranma deactivated from morph ball, and almost relaxed. The blearing of her internal system moniters dropped from a incessant shrill to a steady bleeping; the energy drain caused by the weather behind her was greatly diminished, but not completely rectified.  
  
"Tarou?"  
  
"[Ranma,]" the other end responded in a professional tone. It didn't hide the fact that Tarou was greatly relieved to hear from the redhead, and was also still extremely agitated.  
  
"Are you seeing this, too?" Ranma enquired, as she stepped further into the wrecked space vessel. It seemed almost organic within, like the skeleton of some large beast, with only the angular walls offsetting the illusion. Ribbed tubes and pipes connected here and there like nerves and vertebrae, all now useless to the dead vessel.  
  
"[Of course I'm seeing it,Ranma,]" Tarou replied, somewhat agitated, [Come on, you need to keep going. hopefully the further underground you get, the less drain your suit will have on it's power resources. There are some life-forms to replenish with further down I'm detecting.]"  
  
Ranma nodded, which Tarou could confirm from the bobbing of the view, "Well, better down there than back out, I guess." The fledling space hunter carefully stalked down the twisting and dark corridors, ensuring not to entangle her feet within any of the rubbage scattered on the floor. The silence was only enhanced by the sole sound of the depleting energy, and the almost noiseless functions of the suit of armor she wore.  
  
This suit, it was much different from the one she had been trained to use, yet so similar. Even moreso confusing, it seemed more... comfortable to her. It wasn't just the almost skin-like flexability it awarded her all over, while possibly protecting her personal body just as well as the other did, or the lighter weight of it that allowed Ranma to move so much more easily. It was as if the suit was adapting to her almost on an intimate basis. While the first suit felt like armor, this felt like a refined suit, tailored to both Ranma's form and physiology.  
  
The redhead wasn't sure how much further she had to go, and the quiet was becoming too tense for her, "Tarou?"  
  
"[Yes, Ranma?]"  
  
She disregarded his tired and bored tone, "There's something about this armor... it's just so much different from the other ones."  
  
"[It looked like it was.]"  
  
Ranma's eyes became hooded at her partner's sarcasm, "I don't mean that, you jerk. I don't know... it's... I can't describe it, alright?" Ranma's hand reached up, and brushed away several freehanging cables, suddenly pausing and realising that they were the same ones Kasumi had moved out of her way not too long ago.  
  
"[Then don't bother talking about it until you figure it out, alright?]"  
  
"Yeah..." Ranma responded, her voice trailing off sadly. She continued further, the light supplied by her suit guiding her path.  
  
"[Ranma... we'll get her back, alright?]" Tarou stated after a bountiful silence. Ranma didn't respond, as she continued her trek, discovering the same control cabin that Kasumi had, and finding the forced exit from the ship. Ranma leapt from the hole, and stared down the corridor created by creatures unknown. At the other end, she knew was the large cavern that Kasumi had found, and she would be that much closer to where they knew Kasumi's presence last was.  
  
Taking a breath, Ranma raised her arm cannon, and checked the status. Fully powered up, no discrepencies in its power cycle; it was functioning properly.  
  
That first step; her right foot raised, before lunging forward, and connecting purposely against the ground ahead from where it had been, stirring the air and dirt when it landed. The leg connecting to it pulled her foward, before the left foot began an identical motion of the right foot.  
  
Ranma was racing down the corridor, anticipating anything, but not knowing what to expect. What she knew she should see, she recalled, stopping her brief sprint, was the massive temple that had been closed off to the elements beyond the stone and ice roof above them.  
  
Fighting off the urge to state the obvious, Ranma slowly walked towards the entrance. She stopped before entering it, taking time to look around the massive cavern. A slight movement... Ranma turned to track it, but found her spy light shining only on a barbed tail disappearing over a rock ledge. Whatever it was, it was too small to probably be a threat.  
  
Turning back to the imposing beastly entrance, Ranma stared defiantly at the carved eyes of the entrance. She could almost swear it breathed malice towards her.  
  
"I'm entering now," Ranma stated in a deceptively calm voice, and ignored Tarou's inevitable pleas of caution. Almost brazenly, Ranma strode into the temple, defiant to whatever dangers awaited her.  
  
The perspective was no different from when she first saw it all through Kasumi's line of sight, yet now harbored a more foreboding air. The violet hue washed across the almost stone floor, as well as the massive walls of the large hall.  
  
As if instinctively, Ranma brought up her arm canon in ready, as she slowly stalked through the open hall, expecting the same that had happened to Kasumi. By memory, Ranma stopped at the exact spot Kasumi had, and aimed her weapon into the far distance; the same point Kasumi had spottedher doppleganger.  
  
"[Ranma, did you actually expect it to be there again?]"  
  
"Shut up," the redheaded girl quipped sharply, more because of the tension she was experiencing than genuine irriation to her partner. She still couldn't relax, as the fledgling Space Hunter crept closer.  
  
"[Come on, Ranma, let's not kid ourselves anymore...]" Tarou demanded; his voice terse with a hint of desperation. He was now much more anxious, since his friend was standing in ground zero of where one of their mentors had been decidedly taken apart.  
  
Ranma whirled about, charging her arm cannon, aiming at where she had just heard even the slightest noise. her line of sight was met with a minor creature, much similar to a dog-sized centipede with feelers down its back. It's trek across the ground was silent, the only noise it had made was when it accidentally brushed against something metallic that rolled against the stone ground beneith her feet.  
  
Ranma's dred multiplied, as she jogged over to investigate. Before she even reached it, her foot landed on something. Ranma looked down, and felt her heart stop.  
  
_______________________  
  
Tarou looked on, grimly, as Ranma knelt, and picked up Kasumi's helmet. Even with the large hole that was through the visor, the damage to it was exessive. Cracks and dents littered it, as if someone had tried to crush it. Tarou guessed it was from the heavy battle Kasumi had fought, which far from assisted his nervousness.  
  
In as consoling voice as he could muster, he spoke, "Ranma... let's go. We have what we came for."  
  
He watched through Ranma's eyes, as she stared at the armor helmet that Kasumi had worn, slowly rotating it in her hand. Tarou understood she had a difficult time grasping what she had discovered, since even he had had some small hope that he would be proven wrong. Unfortunately, the reality was that Kasumi was dead, and whatever that imposter was killed her. After almost a minute of no response, Tarou spoke up again, much more firmly, "Ranma, we're done here, let's go."  
  
"[No.]"  
  
Ranma's field advisor blinked at the response, easily hearing the tremor in the two syllables from her voice. "There isn't any more reason for us to be here. Kasumi's... she's gone."  
  
Tarou watched the feed from Ranma's visor, as she stood up again, still carrying the helmet, and walked over to where she had been intending to arrive at. Another piece of Kasumi's armor lay on the ground among several others scattered about. Tarou watched Ranma trace her gloved hand along the shattered breastplate of the destroyed armor, before her eyes tracked the partial remains of one of the shoulders. From the little light she could recieve from the beginning of the hall, bits of the Space Hunter armor, the armor that she was to inherit, lay scattered from a center, launched away by an explosion brought on by it's own destabilization.  
  
"[I want to find out what did this, and make it pay for harming Kasumi-sensei,]" Ranma said, barely able to keep her emotions in check.  
  
Tarou slumped, knowing that it was futile to talk Ranma out of her stubborness, "Ranma, don't be stupid. This thing was strong enough to take out Kasumi, with VERY little effort, I might add. Not that I'm doubting your oh-so-impressive abilities, but WHAT chance do you have against that thing?"  
  
Ranma didn't answer, "[I'm continuing, and I don't plan on coming back until this is done, is that clear?]"  
  
"Is there a way I could stop you?" Tarou asked, knowing the answer. Ranma merely stood up, and turned to look into the ebony depths before her. Fear was replaced by unyeilding determination, as she confidently strode into the darkness.  
  
_______________________  
  
Shampoo and Samus remained several paces behind Nabiki, fearful of the way the woman was glowing with battleaura. Their mentor, in a word, was livid. What made this even more frightening for the two is they had never even seen Nabiki more than slightly irritated, actually finding her angry was incoomprehensable. But now, to find her almost in a rage... it was taking all their will not to suddenly bolt in the other direction, while also questioning if it was wise to cut her down from her bonds.  
  
Nabiki already knew there wasn't another suit. Not that it mattered, she had no intention of going to join Tarou and Ranma. She had other responsibilities that she couldn't abandon just for those two, regardless of how important Ranma and Tarou were. Once she made it to the control and communications room, she was most assuradly going to let them both know what to expect when they return, and that they had BETTER return. 


	10. Desperation

'Chimaera'

Once again, the silence reigned. Ranma's feet tred lightly against the stone ground that had been worn smooth by some ancient waterflow that stopped existing eons ago. She had hoped to find traces of armor about, as if Kasumi's body had been dragged, but whomever did this was careful about what was left behind. The remains in the cavern were possibly a warning to those who would attempt to give chase.

"Tarou, how long do these caverns go on?"

After a brief silence, the fledgling bounty hunter was given a response, "They run pretty deep, you're looking at approximately a day of exploration if you don't have an agenda. The tunnels ahead of you branch off into three directions; one down on a steep incline, one off to your left, and the other one seems to be artificially made, running almost a forty five degree angle from the tunnel you're in now, back towards you. That's all I can see so far until you go further."

Ranma was almost amused that it seemed his field advisor was now encouraging her to continue, but knew in reality that wasn't the case. Tarou would rather anything than Ranma continuing, but held his silence as any attempt at persuasion would be futile. "Which direction seems to have the most activity?"

"Ironically, the artificial cavern, it seems to be teeming with sizeable organisms... Ranma, they are pretty large there, I would advise avoiding... oh..." Tarou knew he said way too much.

Ranma jogged to the end of the cavern, idly sidestepping one of the centipede creatures that fell from the cavern roof. It most likely had intents to harm, but the redheaded space hunter didn't even regard it as a minor threat. Ranma reached the fork, and knew which happened to be the direction she wanted; the guarded by the red door. "Bingo."

Ranma heard Tarou groan over the comm., "This is too obvious, Ranma. The door is set for missiles, as if no self-respecting pursuer wouldn't have them available. You trigger that door and they'll immidiately know where you are, if they don't already."

"Kasumi wouldn't back down," Ranma simply stated.

"That's because it would have been her duty-"

"Like it's mine now," Ranma interjected, before switching her harm canon to rockets. She then pointed it at the door, and fired five of the already stocked missiles into it at point blank range. Like flash melted glass, the red dome gave way, no longer being the last barrier against the pigtailed hunter.

As soon as Ranma stepped through, the change was drastically different from what she had left behind. The climate was warm, surprisingly so, and the low buzz and chatter about signified the presence of the life forms Tarou mentioned. "Good, a light warm up before I kick the tail of whoever attacked Kasumi."

"Ranma... there's something peculiar about these creatures..." Tarou stated, sounding almost confused about something.

"Wha-" Ranma began to say, before one of the centipede creatures, this one several times larger than what she had seen prior, fell down from the ceiling and landed before her. "Oh boy."

The beast raised up; half of it's body standing tall and intimidating, before it lunged at Ranma like a coiled spring. The space hunter quickly twisted out of the way, and with her rockets still armed, fired into the side of the beast at point blank range. The blast sent the monster careening sideways in a barrel roll, before it slammed into the cavern wall. Ranma quickly armed her standard arnament, and let loose several rapid blasts. Ranma's eyebrows raised, as shot count to destroy the creature rose, "This thing's tough!"

"That might have something to do with how I'm seeing that thing..."

Finally, the creature gave off a final wail, as it's carapice cracked, pulverized, and gave way to its pulpy insides. "Man, these things don't die easily, what were you saying?"

"I can barely see them."

Ranma blinked, "What do you mean?"

Their readings, I can barely tell them from the enviorment. First I thought it was simply interferance from the remote scan, but you're now broadcasting the readings back to me, and I'm still barely making them out. For anything of organic nature I should be able to clearly discern them from the- LOOK OUT!"

Tarou had seen the danger through Ranma's visor, meaning Ranma had already saw it. Another of the centipedes dove at her, launching itself from the ceiling, only to have it's prey turn with a crescent kick, slamming her foot into the side of it's head. Ranma continued the motion, slamming it into the ground, and pinning it under her shin. as the creature screeched in outrage, Ranma fired a missile right down it's throat. "There, that was a bit easier."

"Ranma, MOVE! Those things are swarming towards you!"

"Hey, I thought you said you couldn't..."

"I switched the visuals to read through ultrasound instead. No time just RUN!"

Just as the order was given, Ranma was forced to back handspring from one that dropped from the ceiling, their obvious favored form of attack. As soon as she landed, she twisted away from the mandibles of another one, grabbing it by one of its segmented legs, and throwing it into the previous one that just attacked her. "Gods, these things are HEAVY too!"

Ranma braced for another attack, and even after feeling the quake benieth her feet, was shocked when one of the monsters burst through the floor up at her. In reaction, Ranma uppercut it into the ceiling, sending its head into the rock and lodging it there with its body dangling. "What are these things made of, rock?"

Ranma bolted back from another set of mandibles, and realized Tarou had the right idea by just running. These things were starting to become too abundant, and from the amount of firepower it took to kill one, a fight with several of them was not in her best favor.. "That silence tells me I'm not going to like what you have to say."

"I think that's it."

Ranma pole vaulted off of another one, as she continued running for the other end of the cavern, "What's it?"

"When I switched to ultrasonic, I can see them as solid black on the readings."

"Uh, isn't that what's usually supposed to happen?" Ranma asked, confused while she rammed her arm cannon down the throat of another centipede, and fired several rapid shots of her pulse cannon.

"No, not solid black, for that to be the reading, their hides would have to be hyper dense, to the consistancy of the rock around you."

"Great, so I'm having to fight rock monsters." Ranma huffed, now moving into light dash and leaving the swarm of monsters behind. Her own hyper senses helped her evade the stragglers that were before her, some surprised at the burst of light that rushed past them. "How much further until the end of this corridor?"

"About twenty seconds at your current velocity" Tarou announced. 'I think you can stop now."

Ranma broke out of light dash, sliding in a sideways crouch with her rear hand planted to brace herself. Her timing was impeccible, as she stopped right before running into a blue domed door. "So, here I am, huh-ACK!"

"RANMA!"

The red headed space hunter rolled over, staring right into the mandibles of another centipede. It's saliva dripped from the pinchers onto her visor, causing a slight hiss as their acidic properties were quickly neutralized by the coating of her suit. Of course, if it managed to bite through the armor-"

As it suddenly attempted to do.

Ranma screamed out, feeling the pressure of the monster's jaw against the flexible skin of her armor. She tried to push it off, but could only get her hands against the mid of it's flexible body. As if realizing it's impending victory, the beast tightened it's grip, and started to thrash, attempting to take a part of its prey from the rest of the body. Ranma screamed louder, as the suit's defenses were faltering, the suit's own power draining... Ranma began to become slightly overwhelmed by the pain.

Tarou sat on the edge of his seat, mumbling encouragements to Ranma, while fighting himself from trembling, "Come on, Ranma, just shake it off of you..." He hoped his compatriot would quickly dislodge it, as who knew how many more of those things were in her vicinity.

His head snapped to the steady beeping on his control moniter, as his eyes went wider at the sight of Ranma's energy dropping, before quickly turning back to Ranma's view. His heart nearly stopped, when he heard Ranma's searing scream of agony, "NO, RANMA! COME ON! COME-"

His voice caught, as he heard a low, gutteral growl, one that didn't come from the large creature, and Ranma's view shifted from lying down under the centipede, to standing, holding the monster against the wall, as Ranma's arm cannon pinned it's head, while her free hand held one of the mandibles. Unsure of what was going on, Tarou's confusing further deepened, as the screen became slightly fuzzy...

...and Ranma's energy tanks were beginning to rise albeit slowly..

"What the...?" Tarou whispered, before noticing that the monster was writhing a lot less, and generally looking less livelier. He knew the tell tale signs of Ranma... using her abilities.

This time, it seemed as if Ranma's own suit was benefiting from her energy reaving; there was something unusual about that armor, indeed. 


	11. Disconcerting

Chimeara 

Ranma stared at the crumbling ash that seeped between her fingers; not more than a minute ago was the pile that built on the floor a creature menacing enough to bring her harm, "I..."

" -Ranma.-"

The fledgling space hunter came back to attention, "Ah, yeah?"

The silence from the other end lasted several moments, before it was broken by Tarou's somewhat shaky voice, "-Just keep going, alright?-"

Ranma didn't say anything, as she shot at the door with her pulse cannon, causing the sapphire blue entryway to melt upon contact. She stepped through to the other side, and sighed at the seeming quiet, "Anything you see up ahead?"

"-No, nothing at all, Ranma.-"

"That still makes you nervous, doesn't it?"

"-W-what do you mean?-"

Ranma smirked mirthlessly under her helmet, "The way that... you know, that I... eat I guess."

"-Ranma, I, well...-"

Sitting down against a wall, Ranma gingerly poked at where the creature bit her, noticing it just stung, rather than the searing, drilling pain it harbored when it was created, "You know? I've done it as long as I can remember, and it still kind of scares me. I mean, nobody else does it, at least I don't know about it, so why do I get to be different?"

"-I know you can't help it, even if you do eat like the rest of us.-" Tarou's next response was a bit more somber, "-You know, we can tell Nabiki about it, after this whole thing blows over.-"

"Remember the time Nabiki brought in that kreelyn that had been brave enough to fly close enough to explore?"

Tarou took several moments before responding, "-Yeah, she said it was one of the few animals that were docile enough to handle. She said it was probably originally bred by one of the previous civilizations to be some sort of pet or beast of burden.-"

"She let all of us pet it, and it looked like it liked it." Ranma sighed, looking at the hand not covered with her cannon, "Then it got sick, and died a couple of days later."

"-Yeah, Nabiki said it wasn't used to our ecosystem, and probably caught a disease from us it couldn't handle.-"

"You know that I was the last one to touch it, Tarou." Ranma stood up completely, and quickly spoke before his partner could interject to his defense, "We better get moving, it may be quiet now, but no telling how many of those things may be heading here through the walls."

"-Ranma, they all are still on the other side of the door, I'm not reading much in the way of life forms in your immidiate vic-uh oh...-"

The young space hunter snapped to ready, expecting another barrage of those centipede things "What? What is it?"

"-I... have a call on the other line, heh heh...-"

Ranma double blinked, "What"

* * *

Tarou steeled himself, knowing this wasn't about to be pleasant, before opening up the communications line, "Nabiki, at least let me expla-."

"-BACK. NOW.-"

Tarou picked himself off the floor, and crawled back into the chair shakily, "It was Ranma who tied you up, I had nothing to do with it Ma'am!"

"-If you and Ranma do not return within the next three hours, I swear I'll come down there and PERSONALLY feed you to whatever's nasty enough to find yo uappetizing!-"

"Wouldn't that be counter-productive?" Yes, he did hang around Ranma too much; that foot in mouth from the usually quiet protoge that Kasumi and Nabiki failed to cure him of was contagious.

Tarou chuckled weakly at the straight lipped frown Nabiki was favoring him with, as a blue corona formed around her that caused Samus and Shampoo to step back in fear. Heck, it was a broadcast image, and Tarou felt the chill radiating from her, " Well, maybe a little levity was out of place at this moment." His answer was to see Nabiki reach towards the video recorder, before static replaced her vision.

* * *

Shampoo nearly stumbled over herself, as she stared fearfully at one of her mentors. Nabiki glared hatefully at the now destroyed communications console, before she seemed to sad. "Samus, Shampoo.. I will need the two of you to fix this. I don't think I'm really capable of it right now."

Samus looked at the console, assessing the extent of the damage. Three hour job minimum. She looked forelornly at Shampoo, who huffed in irritation, as they both knew they were going to miss a great deal of sleep. Nabiki turned, and started out the room. She stopped, and looked over her shoulders at the two girls, "I'm sorry, I know it's not your fault..." She turned back forward, and started down the hall, continuing only to herself, "The blame will be on me for this." Nabiki prayed to herself, hoping that she wouldn't have to live with the regret of Ranma overcoming her weakness.

* * *

"-Ranma-"

The pigtailed girl raised her head at Tarou's addressment, "Yeah?"

"-That was Nabiki, she wants us back in three hours, or she's coming to get us.-"

Ranma mused over that; she was only thirty minutes from the surface at the moment, plenty of time to get back to the ship, get back to the habitat, find Nabiki, prostate herself before their remaining mentor, and beg for forgiveness.

"You scanned up ahead yet?"

Ranma just couldn't stand the idea of begging anyone.

"-You know she'll probably go easy on us when we beg.-"

Ranma could hear the wry humor in Tarou's voice, amused herself at the way they both similarly thought. Unfortunately, they had business to contend with, "Tarou."

"-Alright,-" her partner relented at the firmness of her voice, "-Long corridor, but nothing between you and the other end. On the other side... I... I can't see anything. I think the mineral density is probably too thick in that vicinity. I won't be able to see anything until you get in there, so be extremely careful.-"

"Like you really had to tell me." Ranma responded, dryly, before running to the other end. She was feeling alright, though she knew there was still some damage to her suit that its self repair nanoids hadn't rectified yet. She idly wondered if she should go back into the previous corridor, and... power up off of some more of those creatures behind her. Shaking her head, she decided there wasn't much time to spare, now that Nabiki placed a clock on them. The fledgling space hunter knew that even with the distance he would have over Nabiki, it wouldn't last long at all.

Charging up her arm cannon for a full cycle pulse blast, Ranma prepared herself for anything. Of course, anything doesn't necessarily mean everything. She gasped, setting her partner on edge, as she looked at another gaping maw, similar to the one that she had first entered the caverns through. This one seemed to have an outer jaw lined with rows of pointed teeth, as the top maw drew up from the bottom that rested against the ground, seeming to aim it's top teeth towards Ranma like readied spears. From how it looked, Ranma would have had to jump over the bottom jaw to get in, if not for the fact that a hole had been created through the stone it was carved out of.

A sense of foreboding hung in the air, causing Ranma's eyes to narrow, and her muscles tense. She jogged towards the entry to the next area, morphing into a sphere as she came close to the hole in the bottom jaw, and rolled into it. She rose to kneeling, recharging the pulse on her cannon. The feeling something was going to happen became so heavy, it seemed to make the air dense, "Tarou?"

"-I can't see anything!-" Tarou quipped, apparently just as tense as Ranma was, "-I don't understand why I can't get readings of anything there-!" Ranma then suddenly heard the sharp breath Tarou took, "-It's moving...-"

"What's mov-" Ranma already jumped up, as the wall next to her shattered, just as a segmented tendril broke out of it, aiming to slam her down. Just barely having evaded the first one, she then was forced to twist away, as another one broke through the ceiling, attempting to smash her against the floor. The space hunter retaliated, firing the charge she kept ready the whole time at the second retreating tentacle. The blast connected, causing a loud screech to rumble in the very area, even right through Ranma being. The sound only added to the seismic vibrations, as a part of the ceiling fell onto Ranma.

The pigtailed hunter snorted, glad the ceiling happened to be loose sediment, but finding being buried in it undignified. Suddenly the tremors became heaviler, as two tendrils suddenly landed on each side of Ranma, and moved away, taking much of the fallen soot and rock out of the way. Ranma stood up, and stared wide eyed at the vision that burrowed through the wall she had been facing. Once of those centipede creatures, exept on a scale of at least three hundred.

It's callow yellow eyes glared balefully at Ranma, before it reared its head back, and emitted a roaring screech that shook the cavern, causing massive amounts of sediment to rain down upon the space hunter. Ranma scrambled quickly, dodging the falling debris, as it began to cover the cavern floor.

Using the two tendrils aside Ranma, it launched itsself upwards, its head crashing through the ceiling, forcing an avalance of sediment onto Ranma. She dodged the best she could, but even she knew Kasumi couldn't avoid such a fallout. Still in mid air, Ranma was slammed back down by a large clot of the heavy mineral sediment...


	12. Conflict

Chimera

"RANMA!" Tarou shouted over the comm. unit. He was well aware that bellowing into the ultra-sensitive device was unnecessary, but the suddenness of his shared visual with the space hunter out in the field going black drummed up an urgency from him he was not accustomed to feeling. His relief was greater than he almost could contain, when he saw the blackness break like clumps of dirt, giving sight via the image enhancing visor of Ranma's suit.

Ranma grit her teeth, both from the obnoxiously loud shout from his field advisor, and the focus of her own determination. Like a rocket, she launched from the mound she was buried in, turning in the air in order to spy her adversary. As she began to cycle up her arm cannon, she took in her terrain; the cavern was recently made, created apparently by the large centipede monster, as the sediment that lay matted against the walls haphazardly fell from the harder rock beyond it due to the seismic activity about. This creature had the advantage of being able to move freely through the environment, while endangering its prey to a quick burial in an early grave.

Narrowing her eyes, Ranma spoke, "Tarou, what do you suggest?"

"I..."

With a frown that couldn't be noticed by her partner, the space hunter was suddenly forced to twist in mid-air, evading an impossibly fast tendril that shot from the wall, attempting to blindside her. She couldn't be sure if this monster intended such a distressing strategy, which would hint at an alarming level of intelligence, "TAROU! Get with it!" Before the boy could respond, Ranma began to descend to the loose sooted ground.

"JUST GIVE ME A SEC, ALRIGHT?"

"NO, IT'S NOT ALRIGHT!" Ranma bellowed, as she suddenly had to fade backwards from being impaled by a horizontal spear from the creature. Ranma landed in a squat, barely managing to maintain her footing, as she dodged to the side to avoided being impaled from below, and then leapt into a tight horizontal spin to avoid a horizontal swipe from another massive tendril, "HOW AM I GOING TO FIGHT THIS THING?"

"Got it! Ranma, that thing is targeting you pretty accurately, my guess is that it can see you somehow, or it's reading your location by possibly sonics."

"Right," Ranma agreed, before looking around to find where her adversary was. A quick but thorough 360 scan of the area spotted the infernal creature's face upside down and imbedded in the wall near where it met the ground. Pursing her lips, the fledgling space hunter took note that the rest of its body was extending to the ceiling, which would explain why it was able to assault her while she was in the air with its limbs

Ranma unleashed the pulse charge she had been building up since she freed herself from the ground, right into the massive beast's face. Much to her dismay, it barely flinched from the blast, before emitting a growl the rumbled that whole corridor. Dirt fell from the ceiling, almost distracting the space hunter, before she darted away from another attempt to skewer her from behind, and single handedly vaulted over another swipe. Attempting to buy her and Tarou time to think, she made a twenty foot up the corridor, aiming to land against the wall. One tendril chased her into the air, moving faster than she was rising, and forcing the red headed hunter to twist out of its way. She braced against the assaulting limb, leaping off of it and heading for another wall, just before she shifted in the air just enough to avoid having her shoulder stabbed off. Unfortunately, this left her unable to develop any momentum to avoid the horizontal swipe heading towards her. Gritting her teeth, Ranma crossed her arms in front of her, and braced against the impact that sent her careening ninety degrees from her original trajectory.

She impacted with the wall, hard enough to cause a heavy landslide from the cavern walls, and imbedding her slightly. The suit's kinetic buffers saved her from most of the impact, but it still left her teeth rattling. With just barely enough time, the space hunter felt the vibrations from the wall she was against, and pulled her shoulder from it before the tendril erupted from it. Ranma hooked her hand onto it, and swung herself onto it in a kneel, "SUCK ON THIS!"

With a rapid fire of pulses, Ranma managed to shoot through the thick limb, severing it. Below her, the creature bellowed in obvious pain, before suddenly ripping its whole body from the wall, sending their battle hall into tremendous amounts of seismic activity, before escaping into the ground with a speed that nothing that large should be capable of.

With nothing to brace herself with, Ranma dropped to the ground in a lazy somersault, landing almost in a sprinter's brace. Just as she landed, she realized the trap set for her.

(-.-)

"LOOK OUT!" Tarou's warning came too late. Since he was sharing Ranma's view, he was privy to the horror, as Ranma turned around, just in time to see a giant maw break through the ground, and fill her vision. In anger for his apparent failure, Tarou pounded the control panel, already beginning to feel the despair overtake him. Before he could finally give into his misery, his head snapped up at the sound of panicked, rapid pulse blasts being launched from the suit's arm cannon...

(-.-)

Shouting, like a desperate berserker, Ranma opened fire as if her life depended on it. Her free hand snagged against whatever she could get a hold of and digging into soft flesh of the inside of the creature's mouth. While her blasts traveled down its throat, occasionally hitting the roof and sides of its mouth.

The beast convulsed violently, before it thrashed wildly, tossing the space hunter from its mouth like a regurgitated meal. Ranma landed, rolling along the ground, feeling disgusted at being coated with the creature's saliva. She wasn't given time to dwell on it, as a sharp but massive tendril caught her straight on, taking her with it on a trip to the wall behind her; the collision kicking up a massive dirt cloud.

"Ranma, report!"

"Under... ugh... control," Ranma replied, holding the point of the creature's limb just barely two inches from her chest. The monster before her narrowed its eyes, almost as if in contemplation.

"Your last attack really ticked it off"

"Ya think?" Ranma redoubled her efforts, wishing she was in her guy form for the added strength she would get from it.

"Think! That means you really hurt it, you fool!"

"I didn't need you to tell me that!" Ranma retorted, "I doubt it's gonna find me appetizing now, though."

"Then just force feed it!"

"Do what?" Ranma quipped, before an idea came to her head, "I'm on it!"

With a feral smirk, the space hunter began to feed...

(-.-)

"Ranma, what are you...?" Tarou began, before he saw Ranma vitality levels begin to rise slightly. Though that did nothing for the damage sustained by the suit, which would require a less personal type of energy to replenish its reserves, it restored the redhead's stamina and resilience.

The field advisor raised an eyebrow, as he realized that Ranma wasn't even intending to replenish herself. Apparently, her feeding was rather painful for her 'meal', as it suddenly screamed like when Ranma had been inside it...

(-.-)

Gaining the desired effects, Ranma shifted, allowing the tendril to push past her and bury itself into the wall she had been against. Without much time, Ranma ran leapt onto the limb, and light dashed along it for less than a split second. With a precise leap, she threw herself into the maw of the bellowing monstrosity. She landed inside, skidding on what she presumed was it's tongue, and hoped that its brain was located within the same vicinity as most complex structured creatures were...

Its screams became more urgent, as did its thrashing. Limbs slammed against the delicate walls, before it threw its head to the ceiling for one last defying screech. Its cry lost volume, before going utterly silent, and with that, the body collapsed to the ground like a freshly cut timber.

(-.-)

"Report. I repeat, Ranma, report!" Tarou commanded, disturbed by the silence that had been waged for the better part of a minute.

"Calm down, Tarou, I'm fine" Ranma's voice called out, as the darkness in Tarou's view opened up to light, framed by rows of teeth as his partner forced the jaws of the now dead creature open, "Thanks all to you for your assistance, 'field advisor'"

Tarou didn't miss the barb, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I thought Nabiki trained you to be more competent than to freeze up like that!"

"What? How dare you!"

"Don't even get high and mighty on me! I coulda been killed because of you!"

"Ranma, that thing caught BOTH of us by surprise! Don't try to just pin this on me!"

"Whatever..."

Gritting his teeth, Tarou forced his growing anger aside, remembering Nabiki's lessons on combat psychology and stress of the field operative, "Look, Ranma, neither of us was prepared for that thing. I admit it was a miracle you beat that thing, but we can't blame each other for this situation. Heck, neither of us had time to properly identify the threat before you engaged it!"

"So you're saying this is my fault?"

"NO!" Tarou stated, adamantly, "We both followed protocol; we were both just a bit slow to react to it."

With a huff, Ranma relented, "You're not going to do it again, are you?"

"Ranma..." Tarou took a deep breath, "I'll do the best I can, and you'll just have to trust me. You've always trusted me in the past, right?"

A pregnant silence ensured before Ranma spoke, "Yeah. What was that thing, anyhow? And why didn't you notice it before?"

Whatever it is, it looks like the upscale model version of those things you fought earlier, but it's make up contains a lot of heavy and dense minerals. Because of that, they were blending in with the ambient readings of the environment. It was almost impossible to sense with our scanners as they currently are."

"So we'll always be surprised when we encounter those... things?" Ranma enquired, obviously not relishing such 'surprises'.

Tarou snorted, "Come on, give me some credit. Just make a few adjustments here, setting the terrain scanners to sonic instead of particle... and..."

Tarou's face frowned, as he sat up straighter.

"What? What is it?"

"You... don't want to know..." Tarou replied with a quiver in his voice, as he looked upon the map, displaying several moving gargantuan, black masses about the whole scan range available.

Author's note: Now I remember why I stopped even bothering to post fics here anymore. Bloody and their shoddy pain in the ass format stripping. You guys figure out when I switch between who's talking through the comm, I'm done with it.


	13. Challenge

Ranma/Metroid

'Chimaera'

"What do you have?" Nabiki enquired, staring out of the visual barrier that sat between her and the cold desolate vacuum of space. It was not so desolate, as she looked upon the horizon of the planet that they had called home for over a Earth decade. The searing white light of the primary sun bled powerfully into the blue and white hue of the planet's atmosphere, before it faded almost transition-less into the twilight, then ebon that surrounded it. It looked so peaceful, which greatly contrast with the conflict she knew to be happening in the southern polar region. Ranma and Tarou, she knew, couldn't possibly be ready for anything that could take on Kasumi, much less fell her, but even with them disregarding her orders, she still had hope and faith that Ranma, her dear Ranma and Tarou; two of those that she loved as any children she could bear, would find any sign of the sister she loved as much as their children and life itself, and hopefully lay any ghosts to rest that may remain.

Shampoo could see the emotionless expression her mentor wore, and heard it in her voice, but her intuition told her that Nabiki was greatly pained from this ordeal. She so emphasized responsibility and accounting for your own actions; decisions you made even in whole confidence undone by an uncanny and utterly improbable factor are yours to take responsibility for. Whoever would have expected Ranma capable of defeating her?

Shampoo now knew that even in the minutest chance, Nabiki should have planned for it. Nabiki silently bore the guilt of her folly. "The... the vessel was a piecemeal, various obsolete technology from several space faring civilizations before the Galactic Federation were used for it. From the construction, it wasn't meant for any return flight." Shampoo knew that this wasn't any particularly useful information, and was most likely something Nabiki surmised just in gleaming the ship when she and Kasumi identified it, but there were no identifying marks on it. It was just scrap thrown together that barely even flew in the first place.

"Scan the images again, I'll be with the three of you in a few minutes to see what we can figure out," Nabiki responded, her voice clipped as if cutting her temper off from leaping into it.

Shampoo bristled, taking the subtle barb towards her, Cologne's, and Nodoka's competence, "But we have looked over these many times, and-"

"ENOUGH!" Nabiki shouted, never turning from the window. Only her back becoming ram rod straight, and her hands clenching into fists so tight her fingernails threatened to break skin. Shampoo baulked at the thankfully rare show of temper, and noticed the room grew drastically colder.

"Enough..." the girl's mentor repeated in a quieter, calmer, and cold tone, "Shampoo, I understand we're all concerned and frustrated at this whole situation. I know you feel what you are doing is pointless. If I could, I would be down there, dragging both the whelps back by the scruffs of their necks. I-"

"Then why don't you?" Cologne enquired, coming to stand by Shampoo. There wasn't any accusations in her tone, it was simply a tone that spoke to represent that which was on the minds of all those who were concerned for Nabiki and Kasumi's successors.

"I..." Nabiki slumped her head, before reaching her hand up, and touching the dense energy field reinforced transparent material barrier, "I can't. I have to keep fai... I have to..."

"Kasumi is most likely gone if she had not contacted us by now," Cologne countered, showing a wisdom that often impressed Nabiki at times, "Keeping faith that she'll still-"

"No, I am aware of the situation, Cologne-chan," Nabiki cut the young woman off, turning her head slightly to the side to acknowledge them, "What I mean to say is that I have to keep here. I have to remain here. I am still responsible for the rest of you, even if I made a terrible decision."

"What do you mean?" Akane asked, finally stepping into the chamber. She had come in order to demand Nabiki let her go and get that numbskull rival and her rightful though idiotic field commander back herself, but quickly felt the current mood would not best benefit from her bravado.

Nabiki's head bowed the same time her fingertips slid down the transparent barrier, and her hands fell to her side, "I love her, she's my sister. All of you... couldn't understand what I will lose if... now that she's..."

Nabiki fell listlessly into the chair near her, and her right hand came to cover her eyes, feigning she was massaging her brows. Under her breath, she uttered, "Tarou, Ranma, I'm sorry, just please come back safe."

* * *

"Hey, Tarou," Ranma ventured, as if he wasn't expecting his partner to still be there.

"_Yeah, Ranma_?"

The redheaded space hunter almost let out a sigh of relief, "Do you think we'll be able to avoid those things?" Ranma didn't get a response, "Tarou?"

"_Uh, yeah, you won't see another one of those things as long as we're careful._"

"You don't sound confident about that."

"_Ranma..._" Silence reigned for several moments, and Ranma was about to scoff at his field commander's cowardly lack of a reply, "_Ranma, I'm not going to lie to you, there are lots of those things, and they're big. Getting around them will not be the easiest thing you can do. I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear._"

"No, that's exactly what I wanted to hear," Ranma responded, feeling a little better as she cautiously strode through the corridor with her arm canon at ready.

"_Ranma? Have you lost your mind? You nearly didn't survive that last fight!_"

"No, I mean I wanted to hear you be straight with me. I can't do this if I thought I was going to end up losing trust in you."

"_You CAN always come back, Ranma,_" Tarou stated in a clipped voice, obviously angry that Ranma was questioning his integrity and competence, "_The path back is the clearest one_."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like... what's that?" Ranma already trained her weapon on the direction the low humming was originating from. Ignoring the urges for caution from Tarou, the space hunter crept towards the entrance to the adjacent tunnel. she found it to be shallow, with some sort of mounted cannon like device aimed at the dead end.

"_Wow,_" Tarou stated, sounding impressed, "_This thing looks old, REALLY old. Probably older than that ship we were checking out. I think this thing is running off of the ambient geothermal energy_."

"I guess that's cool," Ranma responded, not understanding the point nor the interest Tarou had in it, "but what is it?"

"_How should I know_? Put your hand on it and we'll sub-scan it."

Ranma did as she was told and feeling the light waves of energy pulse from her hand in rhythmic waves for several moments, "That enough?"

"_It is. The computer's theorizing about the components right now, and... hmm, nice. Ranma, about two centimeters in the bottom left of the back of it, there's a button to shut off the generator. This thing's been running for ages, and is still going!_"

"Yeah, yeah, wonder of technology, now why did you want me to turn it off?" Ranma asked, noticing it now stopped emanating the humming.

"_The top of the back is detachable, and you'll find two cylindrical components that will pop out a bit, take those and insert them into the side slot of your cannon, I'm already manually reconfiguring the physical makeup of your cannon to accept them._"

"Got you," Ranma affirmed, following Tarou's instructions. As soon as she inserted them into her weapon, she felt her cannon reconfigure itself and adapt to the new hardware addition. "What did I just do?"

"_You just added a sub-sonic drill to your weaponry. Your cannon's pulse lasers now also vibrate at a harmony capable of burrowing through the rock around you in short bursts. It would take a while to actually shoot a hole through the rock with it, though. I figured it might come in handy at some point._"

"Alright, that is pretty cool," Ranma commented, studying her cannon, before she heard Tarou chuckling, "What's so funny?"

"_Remember Nabiki telling us about all the weapons Samus-sama used to find during her missions?_"

"Uh, yeah?"

"_I told you how utterly ridiculous it was that she would conveniently always find just what she needed at the right time? As if the space pirates were truly stupid enough to just leave potential to massively destructive weaponry around for anyone to play with?_"

Ranma didn't quite get the significance of Tarou's little anecdote, before she glanced back down at her own weapon, "Heh... heh heh, I guess this is pretty convenient, huh?"

"_Yeah..._"

"Hey, Tarou," Ranma paused, before continuing, "You're pretty good at this, you know?"

"_Well, I was trained by the best to be the best, after all._"

Ranma snorted, "That's the one thing that always irked me about you, that cocky attitude."

"_Look who's talking, mister or miss 'Akane is just runner up in training'._"

"Eh, it was true, wasn't it?"

"_Let's just get going so we can be heroes before Nabiki comes for us._"

"Right, right, I'm going already!" Ranma began to jog down the corridor, unaware of the figure that observed her, curious like a predator that had discovered an unusual prey.


End file.
